TREASURY

Alcohol-related Deaths

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how many deaths within the Greater London area alcohol was found to be a primary cause in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 9 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking for how many deaths within the Greater London area, alcohol was found to be a primary cause in each of the last five years. (203617)
	The latest year for which figures are available is 2003. The attached table shows the numbers of deaths among residents of Greater London where the underlying cause of death indicated a condition directly related to alcohol use in the years 1999 to 2003.
	
		Alcohol-related deaths(1) for Greater London,(2) 1999 to 2003(3)
		
			 Year Number of deaths 
		
		
			 1999 844 
			 2000 827 
			 2001 788 
			 2002 817 
			 2003 847 
		
	
	(1) For the years 1999–2000 the cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9). The codes used by ONS to define alcohol-related deaths are listed below:
	291—Alcoholic psychoses
	303—Alcohol dependence syndrome
	305.0—Non-dependent abuse of alcohol
	425.5—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	571—Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis
	E860—Accidental poisoning by alcohol
	For the years 2001–2003 the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) was used. To maintain comparability with earlier years the following codes were used:
	F10—Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol
	I42.6—Alcoholic cardiomyopathy
	K70—Alcoholic liver disease
	K73—Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified
	K74—Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver
	X45—Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol
	The selection of codes to define alcohol-related deaths is described in:
	Baker A and Rooney C (2003). Recent trends in alcohol-related mortality, and the impact of ICD-10 on the monitoring of these deaths in England and Wales. Health Statistics Quarterly 17, pp 5–14.
	(2) Usual residents of the London Government Office Region.
	(3) Deaths occurring in each calendar year.

Automated Telling Machines

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the use of ATM machines.

Stephen Timms: Treasury Ministers regularly receive representations and discuss a wide variety of issues concerning the financial services industry.

Budget (Special Reserve Provision)

Keith Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his statement of 1 December 2004, Official Report, column 650, if he will explain the difference between the figures given for the special reserve provision in that statement, in table C13 of the 2004 Budget (HC 701, 2003–04) and in table B18 of the pre-Budget report (CM 6408, 2004–05).

John Healey: The difference between the £0.3 billion special reserve in the 2004 Budget and the £0.7 billion published in the 2004 pre-Budget report comprises two elements: the increase in the special reserve announced in the pre-Budget report; and allocations made from it so far in 2004–05 related to the costs of the military conflict in Iraq and the Government's international obligations.

Child Support Agency

Mark Todd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has reviewed the Gateway process following analysis of failures in the Child Support Agency system and process change programme; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: There has been no re-examination of the OGC Gateway Review Process as a direct result of the Child Support Agency system and process change programme.

Commission for Africa

Alan Duncan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what visits he has made to the African continent (a) as Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) as part of his work as a member of the Commission for Africa; and what visits he plans to make to the African continent as part of his work as a member of the Commission for Africa.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The Chancellor, when he attended the Commonwealth Finance Ministers meeting, visited South Africa in 1997, and meets regularly with his fellow Ministers engaged in the economic tranche of the Africa Commission's work, most recently in Ottawa in October and Berlin last month. The Chancellor is planning to visit Africa in January 2005 and this visit will include taking forward the work he is engaged in as a member of the Commission for Africa.
	2005 will be a critical year for making progress on the UN's Millennium Development Goals. The Commission for Africa will take a fresh look at Africa's past and present, and the international community's role, in order to agree clear recommendations for the future.

Departmental Advertising

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what criteria are used by his Department to determine (a) on which satellite television stations advertisements on behalf of his Department or its agencies are screened and (b) the frequency of screenings of advertisements;
	(2)  how many television advertisements his Department has commissioned on (a) terrestrial and (b) satellite television channels in the last 12 months; and what the cost was in each case.

Stephen Timms: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to the hon. Members for Wealden (Charles Hendry) and Rayleigh (Mr. Francois) on 16 November 2004, Official Report, column 1262W. The position remains unchanged in the last 12 months.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cost to his Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Stephen Timms: The Treasury's aggregate costs for services from the top 10 accountancy firms were £741,000 in 2002–03 and £304,000 in 2003–04, excluding VAT. These include charges for consultancy and secondees.

EU Funding

John Hayes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much EU funding to date has not been signed off by the Court of Auditors; and what the UK's share of this funding is.

Stephen Timms: The European Court of Auditors has always given a positive Statement of Assurance for all revenue, all commitments and—within the payments budget—for administrative payments. The other payments which did not gain a positive Statement of Assurance make up around 95 per cent. of the payments budget, comprising mainly agriculture and structural fund payments. The exception to this was 2002, when pre-accession aid also gained a positive Statement of Assurance, reducing the proportion of the budget which did not to 91 per cent. The UK contributes to the whole EC budget and not to individual spending policies. Details of the UK's contribution can be found in the annual Statement on the EC Budget, the most recent of which was Cm 6134, published in April 2004.

Life Expectancy

Tom Cox: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women living in the Greater London area; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 9 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the life expectancy is of (a) men and (b) women living in the Greater London area. (203630)
	The most recent available figures are for the three-year period, 2001–2003. Life expectancy at birth for residents of Greater London in that period was 76.0 years for males and 80.8 years for females.
	Life expectancy at birth results for this and other Government Office Regions in England, for three-year moving averages from 1991–1993 to 2001–2003, have been published on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Productasp?vlnk=8841

Older Workers

Vera Baird: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what plans he has to publish indicators of employment of workers aged 50 to 69 years;
	(2)  what plans he has to publish indicators of employment levels of all adults, including those over state pension age;
	(3)  what plans he has to publish indicators of employment levels of workers of all ages over 50 years;
	(4)  what plans he has to revise the term working age adult when describing adults aged below the state pension age.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Ms Vera Baird, dated 9 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the publication of employment statistics by age. (203571, 203572, 203573 and 203574)
	The Labour Market Statistics national and regional First Releases, published monthly by the Office for National Statistics, contain analyses of employment by age, based upon the Labour Force Survey. These include estimates for people of working age, currently 16 to 64 for men and 16 to 59 for women; those over retirement age, and those aged 50 to retirement age.
	Estimates of employment for other age groups, for example 50 to 69, are available from publicly available data records, which can be used to produce tables such as that attached.
	At present there are no plans to change the terminology used to describe employment statistics for persons below State Pension age.
	
		Employment in the United Kingdom: three months endingAugust 2004 -- Not seasonally adjusted
		
			 Age group Thousand 
		
		
			 All aged 16 and over 28,159 
			 All of working age(4) 27,164 
			 50 and over 7,285 
			 50 to 69 7,097 
		
	
	(4) Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.
	Source:
	ONS Labour Force Survey

Right to Buy

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether a property purchased via right to buy is charged stamp duty on the selling price (a) net of discount and (b) before the discount is applied.

Stephen Timms: Stamp duty land tax, which replaced stamp duty on 1 December 2003 for land transaction, is charged on the selling price net of discount.

Special Advisers and Travel Costs

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 departmental special advisers travelled (a) domestically and (b) abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: In respect of total travel costs and Ministers' travel costs, I refer to the answers given by the former Financial Secretary on 19 July 2004, Official Report, column 43–4W and 22 July 2004, Official Report, column 482–83W.
	Between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 the Chancellor of the Exchequer's and Chief Secretary's special advisers travelled abroad on official business on 12 occasions at an average cost of £3,793 per trip. The places visited were: USA on 11–14 April 2003, 20–24 July 2003; 15–18 September 2003 (X2), 28–30 August 2003; 4–6 February 2004; Paris on 16–18 May 2003; Dubai on 19–22 September 2003; South Africa on 4–7 October 2003; Mexico on 25–28 October 2003; Beijing on 21–24 February 2004; Germany on 3–4 March 2004.
	Equivalent information about special advisers' domestic travel for this period, or about special advisers' total travel costs in the years prior to 2003–04, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	All travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the "Ministerial Code", the "Civil Service Management Code" and the "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".

Tax Credits

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people received the working tax credit and its predecessor tax credits in each year since 2001.

Dawn Primarolo: Child and working tax credit were introduced in April 2003. Estimates of the number of recipient families are available in the published quarterly and summary statistic.
	Working families' and disabled person's tax credits were available from October 1999 to March 2003. Estimates of the number of recipient families appear in the published Quarterly Enquiries. These publications can be found on the Inland Revenue website, at www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/menu.htm.
	Children's tax credit was available in 2001–02 and 2002–03. An estimated 3.8 million families benefited in 2001–02. No estimate for 2002–03 is yet available.

WALES

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 and when each appeal was lodged.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on Tuesday 8 December 2004 (Col 578W).

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether departmental special advisers have given instructions to permanent civil servants without the explicit authorisation of Ministers since May 1997.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	Since then, Special Advisers have given no such instructions.

Travel Costs

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) Special Advisers and (c) Officials for each year since 1997.

Don Touhig: The Wales Office was established on 1 July 1999.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden on 7 July 2004, Official Report, column 196W and the hon. Member for Twickenham on 11 October 2004, Official Report, column 257W.
	Special Adviser travels costs for the Wales Office are not recorded separately from those of Ministers and Officials.
	All ministerial official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, copies of which are available in the parliamentary Libraries.
	All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in the Civil Service Management Code.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Director of Public Prosecutions

David Trimble: To ask the Solicitor General what the average length of time between the date of report of crime and submission of final police report to the Director of Public Prosecutions was in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years; and what the average length of time taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions to deal with cases from first report to laying of formal charges was in each of the last five years (a) in total and (b) broken down by (i) Crown court cases and (ii) Petty Sessions cases.

Harriet Harman: The Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland keeps records of the period from receipt of the police file to issue of direction. The average time taken is shown in the following table but excludes time spent on interim direction (time taken by the police to provide further necessary information sought by the Director):
	
		Average Days
		
			 Direction type 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 to 30 September 2004 
		
		
			 Indictable prosecution 100.5 117.9 98.8 
			 Summary prosecution 51.3 60.6 47.2 
			 All prosecution  directions 65.5 75.7 64.1 
		
	
	Figures are not available for the full five-year period requested because of a change in recording practice in 2001. The figures for 2004–05 are provisional.
	The Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland is currently running two Public Prosecution Service Pilot Schemes. The figures for the two pilots are not included in the table as they are compiled differently.
	
		Average days
		
			 Direction type Belfast PPS Pilot Fermanagh and Tyrone PPS Pilot 
		
		
			 Indictable prosecution 86.6 98.3 
			 Summary prosecution 21.5 37.8 
			 All prosecution decisions 27.3 39.7 
		
	
	The figures for the Pilots include time spent on interim directions. All figures in this table are provisional.
	The Belfast PPS Pilot Scheme commenced 1 December 2003 and covers all offences committed in South Belfast PSNI District Command Unit and all youth offences committed in the Greater Belfast area.
	The Fermanagh and Tyrone PPS Pilot Scheme commenced 1 April 2004 and covers all offences committed in Cookstown, Dungannon, Fermanagh, Omagh and Strabane District Command Units.
	All figures shown relate solely to files received from PSNI.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Age Discrimination

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Department plans to take to tackle age discrimination to provide older people with the same job opportunities as younger people.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government are committed to tackling age discrimination in employment and extending opportunities for older workers. Legislation will come into force to outlaw unfair discrimination on the grounds of age in employment and vocational training in 2006. We are currently developing proposals for draft legislation. This will cover both direct and indirect discrimination and will apply to all those in or seeking employment or vocational training and not just those aged 50 and over.
	In the meantime, our Age Positive campaign is combating age discrimination in the workplace. Age Positive is vigorously promoting the business benefits of an age diverse workforce by encouraging employers in both the public and private sector to adopt the good employment practices promoted through "Age Diversity at Work, A Practical Guide for Business." Age Positive Scotland and Age Positive Cymru are specifically engaging with employers in those countries.
	The Age Positive campaign is promoted to employers and individuals through advertising, the website and press features in national, local and specialist publications. It features existing good practice by employer champions, research, and strongly promotes to employers at exhibitions and workshops. Age Positive awards help to widely publicise the achievements of businesses and individuals who overcome ageism in employment.
	Budget 2004 announced a new high profile national guidance campaign to raise employers' awareness of, and ability to adopt, flexible employment and retirement opportunities in order to increase the recruitment, retention and training of older workers.
	The results from projects in England, Scotland and Wales to encourage small and medium sized employers to adopt age positive employment practices will ensure that the national guidance campaign meets the specific needs of small and medium size employers.
	Between 2004 and 2006 we are running pilot studies to trial mandatory participation in the New Deal 25 plus Intensive Activity Period for people aged 50 to 59 who have been claiming jobseekers allowance for 18 months. Long-term unemployed jobseekers aged 25 to 49 are already required to participate in this element of the programme which offers extensive help back into work.

Correspondence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his target time is in 2004–05 (a) to reply to letters from hon. Members and (b) for the officials in his office to reply to letters received directly from members of the public.

Maria Eagle: The Department for Work and Pensions, aims to reply to all correspondence within 20 working days of receipt.
	Information on the departmental handling of correspondence from Members of Parliament and Peers is published annually by the Cabinet Office. The 2003 annual report is available in the Library.

Carer's Allowance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what percentage of those qualifying for the state pension have been refused carers allowance, broken down by reason for refusal, in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: The question cannot be answered directly because the reason why people are refused carer's allowance is not broken down by age. Such information that is available is in the following table.
	
		Carer's Allowance: Claims made by people of state pension age in each year 2001–02 to 2003–04
		
			  Number of claims allowed and being paid CA(5) Number of claims allowed, but not paid as the claimant receives a state pension Number of claims allowed as a percentage of the number of people receiving state pension(6) Number of claims allowed, but not paid as the claimant receives a state pension as a percentage of the number of people receiving state pension(6) 
		
		
			 2001–02(7) 18,735 27,070 0.17 0.24 
			 2002–03(8) 20,770 78,745 0.18 0.70 
			 2003–04(9) 23,485 179,585 0.21 1.58 
		
	
	(5) CA is paid to people of State Pension age where there is no entitlement to State Pension or where State Pension is paid at a lower rate than CA. If a low State Pension is paid, a reduced rate of CA will be paid as a top-up.
	(6) Figures for State Pension as at 31 March in 2002, 2003, 2004.
	(7) Figures are as at 30 June 2002.
	(8) Figures are as at 31 May 2003.
	(9) Figures are as at 3 May 2004.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. From October 2002, the upper age limit was increased to allow over 65's to claim.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.

Disability Living Allowance

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many applications for disability living allowance in 2003–04 taken to appeal were (a) refused on appeal and (b) granted on appeal; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis, or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis, as the principal disabling condition.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to the hon. Member. Christina Townsend, Chief Executive 5th Floor
	Letter from Christina Townsend to Mr. Tom Harris, dated 9 December 2004
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your question regarding how many applications for disability living allowance in 2003 2004 taken to appeal were (a) refused on appeal and (b) granted on appeal; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis as the principal disabling condition.
	The information requested is not available in the required format as appeals are recorded by benefit type and not by condition. However, Disability and Carers Service, the agency responsible for decision-making on disability living allowance claims, do record claims by condition. The category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis is recorded as chronic fatigue syndrome. The information in table 1 gives details of all claims for disability living allowance and claims citing chronic fatigue syndrome as the principal disabling condition. Table 2 shows the number of disability living allowance appeals received and the outcomes.
	
		Table 1: All disability living allowance and chronic fatigue syndrome recipients as at 29 February 2004
		
			  Claims (Thousand) 
		
		
			 All Disability Living Allowance 2,579.2 
			 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 14.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Cases where payment of benefit has been suspended are excluded.
	2. Figures taken from a 5 per cent. sample at 29 February 2004.
	3. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.
	Information relating to myalgic encephalomyelitis is not available within the DLA data available from the Appeals Service databases.
	
		Table 2: DLA Appeals received at the Appeals Serviceand decisions at hearing for the financial yearApril 2003 to March 2004.
		
			  Agency 
		
		
			 Lodged 89,020 
			 Received 84,115 
			 Cleared at hearing 71,795 
			 Cleared in favour 37,225 
			 Cleared against 95 
			 Cleared upheld 33,580 
			 Cleared others 895 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available.
	2. Figures for the latest months may rise significantly as information feeds through to the Appeals Service.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	4. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	Lodged—Number of Lodgements received at the First Tier Agency
	Received—Number of Receipts at the Appeals Service
	Cleared at Hearing—All Appeals cleared at hearing.
	Cleared in Favour—All decisions found in favour of the appellant
	Cleared Against—All decisions against the appellant
	Cleared Upheld—The original decision remains
	Cleared Others—Other decisions such as Strike outs, Revised periods.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample.

Disability Living Allowance

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many refusals of disability living allowance in 2003–04 on review were (a) taken to appeal and (b) taken no further; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis, or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis, as the principal disabling condition.

Maria Eagle: This is a matter for Christina Townsend, Chief Executive of the Appeals Service. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Christina Townsend to Mr. Tom Harris, dated 9 December 2004
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your question regarding how many refusals of disability living allowance in 2003/2004 on review were (a) taken to appeal and (b) taken no further; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis as the principal disabling condition.
	The information requested is not available in the required format as appeals and reviews are recorded by benefit type and not by condition. However, Disability and Carers Service, the agency responsible for decision-making on disability living allowance claims, do record claims by condition. The category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis is recorded as chronic fatigue syndrome. The information in table 1 gives details of all claims for disability living allowance and claims citing chronic fatigue syndrome as the principal disabling condition. Table 2 details the number of disability living allowance reviews registered and the outcomes. Table 3 shows the number of disability living allowance appeals received together with the outcomes.
	
		Table 1: All disability living allowance and chronic fatigue syndrome recipients as at 29 February 2004
		
			  Claims (thousand) 
		
		
			 All Disability Living Allowance 2,579.2 
			 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 14.5 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Cases where payment of benefit has been suspended are excluded.
	2. Figures taken from a 5 per cent. sample at 29 February 2004
	3. From November 2002, the methodology for producing these figures was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.
	Information relating to myalgic encephalomyelitis is not available within the DLA data available from the Appeals Service databases.
	
		Table 2: disability living allowance reviews registered, allowed and disallowed for the financial year 2003–04
		
			  DLA Reviews 
		
		
			 Registered 255,715 
			 Disallowed 4,435 
			 Successful 116,075 
		
	
	Note:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	Source:
	MIS Computer System, 100 per cent. data.
	
		Table 3: DLA Appeals received at the Appeals Serviceand decisions at hearing for the financial yearApril 2003 to March 2004
		
			  Agency 
		
		
			 Lodged 89,020 
			 Received 84,115 
			 Cleared at Hearing 71,795 
			 Cleared in Favour 37,225 
			 Cleared against 95 
			 Cleared upheld 33,580 
			 Cleared others 895 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. All figures are subject to change as more up to date data becomes available.
	2. Figures for the latest months may rise significantly as information feeds through to the Appeals Service.
	3. Figures are rounded to the nearest five.
	4. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	Lodged—Number of Lodgements received at the First Tier Agency.
	Received—Number of Receipts at the Appeals Service.
	Cleared at Hearing—All Appeals cleared at hearing.
	Cleared in Favour—All decisions found in favour of the appellant.
	Cleared Against—All decisions against the appellant.
	Cleared Upheld—The original decision remains.
	Cleared Others—Other decisions such as Strike outs, Revised periods.
	Source:
	I AD Information Centre, 100 per cent. sample
	I hope this reply is helpful.

Disability Living Allowance

Tom Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many of those cases taken to review for disability living allowance in 2003–04 (a) were refused on review and (b) were granted on review; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis as the principal disabling condition;
	(2)  how many of those cases refused disability living allowance on application in 2003–04 (a) were taken to review, (b) were taken to appeal without prior review and (c) were taken no further; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis as the principal disabling condition;
	(3)  how many claims were lodged for disability living allowance in 2003–04; and how many cited myalgic encephalomyelitis or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis as the principal disabling condition;
	(4)  how many of the total claims lodged for disability living allowance in 2003–04 (a) were refused on application and (b) were granted on application; and how many in each category cited myalgic encephalomyelitis or the category most closely approximating to myalgic encephalomyelitis as the principal disabling condition.

Maria Eagle: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out as follows.
	
		Disability living allowance (DLA) 2003–04
		
			  All claims(10) Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)(11) 
		
		
			 Number of claims made 442,150 n/a 
			 Number of claims allowed 217,525 (10)2,300 
			 Number of claims refused 220,215 n/a 
			 Number of claims reconsidered 120,510 n/a 
			 Number of claims refused after reconsideration 4,435 n/a 
			 Number of claims allowed after reconsideration 116,075 n/a 
			 Number of appeals received 84,115 n/a 
		
	
	(10) The figures for all claims are taken from the MIS computer system, 100 per cent. data for year ended 31 March 2004. Figures are in thousands rounded to the nearest 5.
	(11) Figures for new awards for chronic fatigue syndromes, including ME/post viral medical conditions, are taken from a 5 per cent. sample for year ended 31 May 2004. Figures are in thousands rounded to the nearest 100.
	Notes:
	1. From November 2002, the methodology for producing the figures for all claims was changed to allow statistics to be published much sooner. This has resulted in a small increase in the reported caseload. This is because some cases which have actually terminated but have not yet been updated on the computer system are now included.
	2. Claims received in one year are not necessarily cleared in the same year.
	3. The number of claims reconsidered include applicants who received an award at a lower rate and/or for a shorter duration.
	4. The figure for appeals received at the Appeals Service cannot be broken down by appeals without prior reconsideration and those that were received after reconsideration.
	5. Medical conditions are not recorded on the MIS system and only a total figure can be provided.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost was of (a) an in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years.

Maria Eagle: Subsidies of various sizes for canteen facilities are provided in around 160 of our 1,800 offices. The cost to the Department for the year 2002–03 was £3.5 million and for the year 2003–04 was £3.7 million.

Pension Protection

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will place in the Library a copy of the estimates that he has made of the cost of providing full compensation for lost occupational pension rights among those workers whose schemes wound up before the introduction of the Pension Protection Fund.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government has not made estimates of the costs of providing full compensation for lost occupational pension rights among those workers whose schemes wound up before the introduction of the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).

Pension Protection

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for how many workers who lost occupational pension rights owing to scheme wind-up the insolvency event was (a) between January and March 1997, (b) between April 1997 and March 2004 and (c) between April 2004 and March 2005.

Malcolm Wicks: The dates for eligibility for the Financial Assistance Scheme—as mentioned in my written ministerial statement issued on 2 December 2004, Official Report, columns 64–66WS—relate to the dates that schemes start to wind up. Issues concerning definitions of "employer insolvency", including the dates of any insolvency events and their timing in relation to the scheme wind up date, remain under consideration. The interactions of wind up dates and employer insolvency events are complex: for example, an employer may have more than one insolvency event, and the scheme may start to wind up sometime before or after the employer's initial insolvency event. Furthermore, there is no central source of data which identifies both scheme wind up dates and any insolvency events the employer connected to the scheme might have. Therefore it is not possible to answer the question in the form requested.

Pension Protection

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether it is his policy that the administrative costs to his Department of developing and operating the Financial Assistance Scheme will be met outwith the £400 million which has been allocated to meet the costs of the scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: The costs of operating the Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) are still being assessed. The current policy and project development costs of FAS are being funded from departmental resources.

Pensions

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the relevant populations of (a) men and (b) women in (i) the Scottish Borders, (ii) Scotland and (ii) Great Britain are entitled to the full basic state pension.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  Men Women 
		
		
			 Great Britain 3,486,000 3,162,500 
			 Percentage of relevant population in Great Britain 88.4 46.5 
			
			 Scotland 305,500 307,100 
			 Percentage of relevant population in Scotland 91.0 49.4 
			
			 Scottish Borders 7,900 7,700 
			 Percentage of relevant population in the Scottish Borders 89.6 50.3 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a high degree of sampling variation.
	2. Data is rounded to the nearest 100. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	3. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant Office for National Statistics postcode directory.
	4. The relevant population refers to all males aged 65 and above and females aged 60 and above living in the specified areas.
	5. A full basic State Pension (£77.45 in 2003–04) is paid to those who fully satisfy the contribution conditions either in their own right or where applicable, on the basis of their late or former spouse's contributions.
	Source:
	IAD Information Centre, 5 per cent, sample as at 31 March 2004

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Accountancy Services

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost to her Department was for accountancy services in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: The cost of external accountancy services to the Department was £659,624.01 in 2002–03 and £495,193.40 in 2003–04.

Boxing

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the trend in the number of people participating in boxing over the last five years.

Richard Caborn: According to the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAofE) records, the total number of registered boxers in England over the past five years was as follows:
	
		
			  Registered clubs Registered senior boxers Registered junior boxers Total registered boxers 
		
		
			 1999–2000 565 3,481 3,310 6,791 
			 2000–01 Not available Not  available Not  available Not available 
			 2001–02 Not available Not available Not available Not available 
			 2002–03 584 3,854 4,065 7,919 
			 2003–04 619 3,977 4,519 8,496 
		
	
	There is no firm statistical data currently available on the number of people who are either active "social' members of boxing clubs (but not boxing competitively) or who box as part of their fitness training activities—nor do we have an indication of the trend over the past five tears. At present, the ABAofE estimates this to be in the region of 30,000 upwards.

British Board of Film Classification

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to change the (a) membership and (b) constitution of the British Board of Film Classification; and if she will make a statement.

Estelle Morris: The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) is independent of government and is responsible for its own membership and constitution. The Government recognise the importance of preserving the independence of the BBFC and has no plans to intervene on these matters.

Departmental Events

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by her Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Richard Caborn: Only press conferences and exhibitions are organised centrally and they are held internally, with no cost attached. Conferences, seminars, and workshops are organised and paid for (sometimes jointly and sometimes exclusively) by policy divisions across the Department. They are held both in-house and on non-departmental premises. The information relating to the title, purpose, date and cost of each could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total external spending by her Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by her Department over this period; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not itself incurred any costs on PFI consultants over the last two years.
	The Royal Parks Agency, which is an Executive Agency, has employed consultants to advise on PFI schemes. Their total external spend on PFI consultants in 2003–04 was £95,035, and from 1 April 2004 to date they have incurred costs of £89,329. The Royal Parks Agency used six consultancy firms. The information relating to the number of full-time equivalent consultants, billed consultancy days and the implied average cost of each consultant could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to her Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows for my Department:
	(a) Commission Regulation (EC) No 656/2004 of 7 April 2004 amending Regulation (EEC) No 752/93 laying down the provisions for the implementation of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3911/92 on the export of cultural goods.
	Purpose: to amend the application form (under EU law) for an export licence for cultural goods.
	(b) We do not have information on the cost to public funds of this regulation, and such information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
	(c) Cost to businesses: nil.
	In addition, I should mention the following:
	(a) Directive 2002/19/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on access to, and interconnection of, electronic communications networks and associated facilities (Access Directive); Directive 2002/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on the authorisation of electronic communications networks and services (Authorisation Directive); Directive 2002/21/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on a common regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services (Framework Directive); and Directive 2002/22/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 March 2002 on universal service and users' rights relating to electronic communications networks and services (Universal Service Directive).
	The purpose of these directives was to set a new community-wide framework for regulation in respect of electronic communications networks and services, including the removal of the requirement for licensing of telecommunications systems.
	(b) We do not have information on the cost to public funds of these directives, and such information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
	(c) These Directives were implemented by way of the Communications Act 2003, for which DTI and DCMS were jointly responsible and for which a regulatory impact assessment was undertaken.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether it is the policy of the Department to retain for the benefit of future (a) historians and (b) applicants under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the same (i) complete categories of files, (ii) numbers of files and (iii) representative examples of files from categories of files destroyed as had been preserved prior to the passage of that Act.

Richard Caborn: There has been no change to Departmental Records Management policy since the passage of the Act and categories of files and their numbering system will continue. It has never been the policy of the Department to retain representative examples from files of categories destroyed.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many departmental files have been destroyed in each of the past five years.

Richard Caborn: The table sets out the number of files that the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have destroyed in the past five years
	
		
			  Number of files 
		
		
			 2000 5,168 
			 2001 3,147 
			 2002 4,996 
			 2003 4,363 
			 2004 4,097

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files.

Richard Caborn: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not changed its policy regarding retention and destruction of Departmental files over the last five years.

English Heritage

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what effect the Treasury's requirement for efficiency savings at English Heritage will have on that body's work in the next three years.

Richard Caborn: As a result of its efficiency programme, English Heritage will save up to £14.2 million over the next three years. This will be invested in front line services.

External Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost to her Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Richard Caborn: The total cost to the Department of using external consultants was £469,480.60 in 2002–03 and £473,785.35 in 2003–04.

Free Television Licences

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners aged over 75 years living in (a) North Southwark and Bermondsey constituency and (b) the London borough of Southwark are (i) entitled to a free television licence and (ii) receiving a free television licence.

Estelle Morris: holding answer 8 December 2004
	TV Licensing, who administer free television licences for people aged 75 or over as agents for the BBC, are not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. It is not therefore possible to estimate take-up of the concession on a local basis. However, the number of households with at least one person aged 75 or over claiming the winter fuel payment in the North Southwark and Bermondsey constituency in 2003–04 was 3,995, according to Department for Work and Pensions records. The number of such households in the London borough of Southwark was 8,930.

Free Television Licences

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will estimate the cost of exempting student-only houses from paying the television licence fee.

Estelle Morris: It is not possible to estimate the cost of providing television licence fee concessions for all student-only households, because TV licensing's records do not distinguish between student and other households and information on student numbers is not held in such a way as to enable the number of student-only households to be calculated.

Free Television Licences

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost is to the Exchequer of the free television licence for those over 75 years; and what would be the cost of offering a free television licence to all those in receipt of pension credit only.

Estelle Morris: The cost of providing free television licences to people aged 75 or over in 2003–04 was £408 million. The cost of providing free television licences to all households in receipt of pension credit would be in the region of £310 million a year.

Invoice Payments

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the average length of time was between the date of invoices issued to her Department from a supplier and payment by the Department of the invoice in the last 12 months for which figures are available; what percentage of these invoices were paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the invoice; what percentage of these invoices remained unpaid after 90 days; and if she will make a statement on the Department's policy on the payment of invoices issued to it.

Richard Caborn: In compliance with Government guidance, DCMS is committed to the payment of all invoices within agreed contractual provision or within 30 days of presentation of a valid invoice. The current target for payment of invoices is that 100 per cent. of invoices are paid in time, including disputed invoices once disputes have been settled.
	For the period November 2003 to October 2004, the Department paid 99.3 per cent. of valid invoices on time, the average number of days between receipt of invoices and payment being 10.2. Information regarding average length time between the date of invoices from suppliers and payment by the Department is not held on the Department's accounting system and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Two invoices (0.03 per cent.) were paid after 90 days.

Olympic/Paralympic Athletes

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans her Department has for funding (a) Olympic and (b) Paralympic athletes up to 2008.

Richard Caborn: We plan to at least maintain the previous level of investment for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic cycle. This will result in approximately £98 million being available to support summer and winter Olympians and Paralympians.

Parliamentary Questions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many written questions for her Department were unanswered when Parliament prorogued; and how many of the unanswered questions were tabled in each of the previous months of the 2003–04 session.

Richard Caborn: All written questions tabled to DCMS received a reply in the 2003–04 parliamentary session.
	Seven written questions received the following answer on the final day of the session:
	"It has not proved possible to respond to my (right) hon. Friend/the (right) hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation."
	Six of these questions were tabled between 2–16 November, and the other was tabled on 28 October.
	At all times DCMS Ministers make every effort to answer written questions substantively before Prorogation. However, this is not always possible. Where right hon. and hon. Members did not receive a substantive response it is open to them to re-table their question this session.

Parliamentary Questions

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what target her Department sets for the maximum acceptable time to respond in full to a parliamentary question; and what percentage of answers given by her Department failed to meet this target in each parliamentary session from 1997–98 to 2003–04.

Richard Caborn: DCMS aims to ensure that Members receive a substantive response to their Named Day question on the named day and endeavour to answer ordinary written questions within a working week of being tabled. Unfortunately, this is not always possible but the Department for Culture, Media and Sport makes every effort to achieve these timescales.
	The percentage of answers that failed to meet these targets in each parliamentary session from 1997–98 to 2003–04 is in the table.
	
		Percentage
		
			 Parliamentary session Ordinary Written Named Day 
		
		
			 1997–98 (12)— (12)— 
			 1998–99 54.8 62.9 
			 1999–2000 47.0 69.0 
			 2000–01 39.1 51.5 
			 2001–02 46.3 55.2 
			 2002–03 47.5 44.5 
			 2003–04 32.3 30.5 
		
	
	(12) Figures for parliamentary session 1997–98 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Public-Private Partnership Consultants

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total external spending by her Department was on public-private partnership (PPP) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by her Department over this period; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: DCMS has not been involved in any public-private partnerships and has not needed consultancy.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints were made by departmental civil servants regarding the conduct of special advisers between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Richard Caborn: There have been no complaints made by civil servants at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the conduct of special advisers between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Sports and Community Clubs

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to limit the increase in licensing fees for sports and community clubs under the Licensing Act 2004.

Richard Caborn: Fees will be limited to full recovery by licensing authorities of their costs of administration, inspection and enforcement under the terms of the Licensing Act 2003. We are currently undertaking a consultation on the fee levels, which ends on 23 December 2004. We welcome the views of sports and community clubs as part of that consultation. All responses will be carefully considered before the fees are finalised.

Swimming

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance she is giving the Amateur Swimming Association to meet the costs of training swimming coaches.

Richard Caborn: The Amateur Swimming Association's coaching qualifications are recognised on the National Qualifications Framework. This means that approved centres offering swimming coaching training can draw down mainstream funding through the Learning and Skills Council, to support training delivery. Swimming is one of the sports taking forward the UK Coaching Certificate. As such, the Amateur Swimming Association has been allocated funding for three years from 2004–05 by UK Sport to develop its coach education systems.

Theatre

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what assessment has been made by the Arts Council West Midlands of the staging of innovative performances at the Lichfield Garrick Theatre since its opening; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment her Department has made of the impact on the arts in Staffordshire of the Arts Council's publication, "A vision for the arts in the West Midlands 2003–06"; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  what assessment she has made of funding for the arts in Staffordshire; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  if she will make a statement on the Arts Council West Midlands policy regarding support for theatres owned by local authorities; and if she will make a statement;
	(5)  how many times representatives of the Arts Council West Midlands have visited the Lichfield Garrick Theatre since 1 July 2003;
	(6)  what her Department's policy is towards the support of innovative art in the West Midlands; and if she will make a statement;
	(7)  what support has been given to the staging of new theatrical art in Staffordshire by the Arts Council West Midlands; and if she will make a statement;
	(8)  what support has been given in funding to theatres in Staffordshire by the Arts Council West Midlands since 1 July 2003.

Estelle Morris: Arts Council England (ACE) operates at arms-length from the Government. It delegates monies to the Regional Arts Councils which allocate funds in accordance with the strategic priorities of the Department and ACE.
	Records relating specifically to grants for either new theatrical art or innovative art are not held by ACE. The £30,000 grant awarded by ACE to the Lichfield Garrick Theatre was for the production of new pieces of work to celebrate its opening. During 2004–05 the Lichfield Garrick became a regularly funded organisation (RFO) of ACE and is in receipt of £30,780. It is due to receive the same next year with subsequent funding to be decided following confirmation of ACE's future funding allocation. Since 1 July 2003, four official visits have been made by ACE to the Garrick Theatre.
	Funding information is not collected for individual counties, neither has ACE a specific policy regarding support for theatres owned by local authorities. However, funding to theatres in Staffordshire has totalled £113,390 since 1 July 2003.
	ACE's annual review for 2004, placed in the Library of both Houses, reports on its activity during both years including activity in the West Midlands.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Foreign Legislatures

David Burnside: To ask the Leader of the House what restrictions exist in UK law on the participation of hon. Members in the legislative chambers of foreign countries.

Peter Hain: A member of the legislature of any country or territory outside the Commonwealth (other than Ireland) is disqualified from membership of the House of Commons under section 1(1)(e) of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, as amended by section 1 of the Disqualifications Act 2000. There is no restriction in UK law on the participation of hon. Members in the legislative chambers of foreign countries, while not member of that legislature.

Government Amendments

Bob Spink: To ask the Leader of the House how many Government amendments were accepted in the House of Lords in the last session.

Phil Woolas: Statistics for session 2003–04 under preparation in the House of Lords suggest that 2,915 Government amendments were made to Government Bills in the House of Lords last Session. This does not include amendments made on Consideration of Commons Amendments.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Abandoned Motor Vehicles

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many motor vehicles have been abandoned in Greater London in each of the last three years.

Alun Michael: Statistics for abandoned vehicles removed and destroyed were first compiled in the Defra Municipal Waste Management Survey for 2000–01. Results for authorities in London are available for 2000–01 and 2001–02. Results for 2002–03 are supplemented by results from the Defra Abandoned Vehicle Survey 2002–03.
	Numbers of abandoned vehicles removed and destroyed by each London Borough and Waste Collection Authority are listed as follows:
	
		
			  2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,761 n/a 3,201 
			 Barnet 3,287 4,431 3,940 
			 Bexley 1,356 1,776 2,391 
			 Brent 3,471 4,115 4,184 
			 Bromley 3,895 4,215 3,129 
			 Camden 1,629 1,897 1,676 
			 City of London n/a n/a 158 
			 Croydon 2,878 4,376 4,200 
			 Ealing 3,754 4,916 3,975 
			 Enfield 4,711 6,347 4,973 
			 Greenwich 3,120 4,200 4,429 
			 Hackney 2,700 4,066 3,609 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 2,188 1,430 1,473 
			 Haringey 6,500 (13)4,560 5,900 
			 Harrow 1,914 (13)2,249 2,650 
			 Havering 1,250 3,126 2,086 
			 Hillingdon 2,286 3,128 3,741 
			 Hounslow 2,247 3,118 3,125 
			 Islington 2,619 3,643 2,748 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 195 232 265 
			 Kingston upon Thames 739 2,159 3,053 
			 Lambeth 3,308 3,775 3,577 
			 Lewisham 5,000 4,671 3,554 
			 Merton 1683 2,140 2,165 
			 Newham 6,704 8,117 3,105 
			 Redbridge 1,562 2,219 2,005 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,201 1,201 970 
			 Southwark 1,934 2,848 2,245 
			 Sutton 1,651 2,166 2,055 
			 Tower Hamlets n/a n/a 2,781 
			 Waltham Forest 2,716 3,466 3,351 
			 Wandsworth 2,571 2,794 2,753 
			 Westminster 496 333 336 
			 London total 83,900 104,500 94,500 
		
	
	(13) for 2001–02 =GLA estimate
	n/a = results not available

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Alun Michael: The Department is fully committed to equality on the basis of age. One of the stated values of the Department is that we create an environment for our employees and customers, free from discrimination on the grounds of age.
	In anticipation of the Age Legislation in October 2006, the Department has identified policies and procedures where the legislation will have an impact and the Department is working to ensure that all areas of its work is fully reviewed for any age bias.
	The Department has already introduced flexibility around the retirement age that enables older staff to stay on until 65. In addition diversity training, which is available to all Defra employees, includes raising awareness of age discrimination.

Carbon Trust

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) resource budget, (b) staff numbers and (c) running costs were of the Carbon Trust in 2003–04.

Elliot Morley: The Carbon Trust, as a private company, publishes annual accounts containing the information you have requested. The report for 2003–04 can be accessed via www.thecarbontrust.co.uk

Carbon Trust

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on collaboration between the Carbon Trust and the Clean Energy Group.

Elliot Morley: The Carbon Trust takes a strong interest in international low carbon programmes and investment initiatives. The Trust keeps in close touch with a number of agencies, including the Clean Energy Group and other US organisations, to exchange best practice in how low carbon technologies can best be developed and brought to market more quickly. The Carbon Trust is a private company funded by Defra and the Devolved administrations.

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the United Kingdom will ratify the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

Elliot Morley: The UK ratified the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety on 19 November 2003 and it entered into force in the UK on 17 February 2004.

Crèche Facilities

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what crèche facilities are provided by her Department; and at what cost.

Alun Michael: Defra currently makes the following childcare provisions:
	Workplace Provisions
	We have on on-site workplace nurseries at five of our sites, Kings Pool in York, CSL Sand Mutton, Guildford, London and Bristol. Defra in Exeter has recently closed and with it the childcare provision.
	We have the following partnership arrangements providing workplace provision in London, Bristol and elsewhere through such providers as Buffer Bear, Childcare Enterprise; Frendz club.
	Childcare Vouchers and Payment to a Third Party
	This does not apply in Defra and we operate neither scheme.
	Salary Sacrifice Scheme
	This is due to start between January and April 2005.
	Defra provide 150 full-time subsidised nursery places across the five sites mentioned above. The actual number using the nursery is higher than this figure due to many of the places being allocated on a part time basis. The cost of nursery places and the amount of subsidy varies for each location.
	The places are allocated as follows:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 London 11 
			 Bristol 3 
			 York Kings Pool 49 
			 York CSL 47 
			 Guildford 40 
		
	
	School holiday playschemes places are available to departmental and agency staff across eight sites. The number of users varies at each site and for each school holiday period. These are: London, York, Bristol, Guildford, Nottingham, Taunton, Weybridge and Worcester.
	The overall budget for childcare provision is currently £88,500 for York and London. Other sites are funded from local budgets.
	We are aiming to review current fees and subsidies in 2005.

Departmental Estate

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost has been of criminal damage to her Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: The occurrence of criminal damage to the Department's buildings over the past two years has been so low that separate records have not been kept.

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in her Department in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: Defra estimates its expenditure over the last two years on the following activities to have been:
	
		£
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 (a) New builds 14,709,000 30,878,000 
			 (b) Demolition rebuilds 51,000 605,000 
			 (c) Private finance initiative projects Nil 1,029,000

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: Refurbishment work carried out on the Defra estate in the last 2 years was estimated to cost:
	
		£
		
			  
		
		
			 2002–03 3,804,000 
			 2003–04 9,783,000

Departmental Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by her Department in each of the last two years.

Alun Michael: From information held centrally, the cost of running the Department's canteen facilities in financial year 2002–03 was £432,328 and in financial year 2003–04 the cost was £453,490.

Emissions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the total amount of (a) carbon dioxide and (b) greenhouse gas emissions per person in the United Kingdom, broken down by (i) emissions produced within the UK, (ii) emissions including those produced in other countries for goods exported into the UK, (iii) emissions including those produced in other countries for goods exported into the UK but excluding goods exported from the UK and (iv) international aviation relating to UK activities.

Elliot Morley: (i) In 2002, the most recent year for which data are available, emissions of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in the UK were 551.0 million tonnes, and emissions of total greenhouse gases, weighted together using global warming potentials, were equivalent to 648.4 million tonnes CO 2 . The population of the UK was just over 59 million in 2002, making the average emissions on a per person basis for CO 2 9.30 tonnes and 10.95 tonnes CO 2 equivalent for total greenhouse gases.
	(ii & iii) Under internationally agreed guidelines, carbon dioxide and total greenhouse emissions associated with the production of goods are reported in the greenhouse gas inventory of the country in which the goods are produced. Emissions from goods exported from the UK are not separately estimated.
	(iv) Emissions associated with international air transport appear in national greenhouse gas inventories as a memo item and are not included in national totals. Total UK emissions of CO 2 from international aviation were estimated to be 26.9 million tonnes of CO 2 in 2002, and emissions of total greenhouse gases were estimated to be 27.3 million tonnes of CO 2 . Emissions per passenger are not estimated.

EU Legislation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to her Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each.

Alun Michael: The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs plays a leading role in the UK's EU policy on the environment, agriculture, fisheries, animal and plant health.
	In answer to part (a) , the table shows all Directives agreed in the UK in the years 2002 and 2003, for which Defra took the lead, and which have since been implemented in the UK. Regulations have a direct effect in the laws of member states and do not usually require Governments to take action to implement them. The table does not show Regulations, as this information is not held centrally and could be assembled only at disproportionate cost. Details of all Directives and Regulations in force can be found on the Eur-Lex database available on the European Union's website.
	The Department does not hold information in the form requested in part (b) . This information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost.
	For part (c) , Departments are required to produce regulatory impact assessments (RIAs) for proposals, including those originating in European legislation, likely to impose significant costs on business, charities or voluntary organisations. Copies of these are placed in the Library of the House.
	
		
			 Directive No Directive Name 
		
		
			 2002/003/EC Relating to ozone in ambient air 
			 2002/004/EC Registration of establishments keeping laying hens 
			 2002/005/EC Amending Annex II to Council Directive 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables 
			 2002/008/EC Minimum conditions for examining vegetables and agricultural varieties 
			 2002/018/EC Amending Annex I to Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market to include isoproturon as an active substance 
			 2002/023/EC Fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal origin and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables respectively 
			 2002/028/EC Protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the community 
			 2002/029/EC Amending Directive 2001/32/EC as regards certain protected zones exposed to particular plant health risks in the community 
			 2002/031/EC Energy labelling of household air conditioners 
			 2002/033/EC Amending Directives 90/425/EEC and 92/118/EEC as regards health requirements for animal by-products 
			 2002/036/EC On protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community 
			 2002/037/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include ethofumesate as an active substance 
			 2002/040/EC Commission Directive 2002/040/EC implementing Council Directive 92/75/EEC with regard to energy labelling of household electric ovens 
			 2002/042/EC Fixing maximum levels of pesticide residues 
			 2002/045/EC Relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (short-chain chlorinated paraffins) 
			 2002/048/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include iprovalicarb, prosulfuron and sulfosulfuron as active substances 
			 2002/060/EC Laying down specific provisions for the control of African swine fever 
			 2002/062/EC Adapting to technical progress for the ninth time Annex I to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the member states on marketing and use of (organostannic compounds) 
			 2002/063/EC Establishing community methods of sampling for the official control of pesticides residues in and on products of the plant and animal origin and repealing Directive 79/700/EEC 
			 2002/064/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include cinidon-ethyl, cyhalofop butyl, famoxadone, florasulam, metalaxyl-M and picolinafen as active substances 
			 2002/066/EC Amending the Annexes to Directive 76/895/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for pesticides residues in and on fruit and vegetables 
			 2002/068/EC On the marketing of seed of oil and fibre plants 
			 2002/071/EC Amending the Annexes to Directive 76/895/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for pesticides residues (formothion, dimethoate and oxydemeton-methyl) 
			 2002/076/EC Fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues (metsulfuron methyl) in and on cereals and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables 
			 2002/079/EC Amending the Annexes to Council Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards fixing of maximum levels for certain pesticides residues 
			 2002/081/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include flumioxazine as an active substance (Plant Protection Products) 
			 2002/097/EC Amending the Annexes to Council Directives 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards fixing of maximum levels for pesticide residues in cereals and foodstuffs in products of animal and plant origin 
			 2002/100/EC Fixing of maximum residue levels for azoxystrobin 
			 2003/002/EC Relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of arsenic 
			 2003/005/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include deltamethrin as active substance 
			 2003/011/EC Relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (pentabromodiphenyl ether octabromodiphenyl ether) 
			 2003/021/EC As regards certain protected zones exposed to particular plant health risks in the Community 
			 2003/022/EC On protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community 
			 2003/023/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include imazamox, oxasulftiron, ethoxysulfuron, foramsulfuron, oxadiargyl and cyazofamid as active substances 
			 2003/031/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include 2,4-DB, betacyfluthrin, cyfluthrin, iprodione, linuron, maieic hydrazide and pendimethalin as active substances 
			 2003/039/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include propireb and propyzamide as active substances 
			 2003/045/EC On the marketing and use of seed of oil and fibre plants 
			 2003/046/EC As regards certain protected zones exposed to particular plant health risks in the Community 
			 2003/047/EC On protective measures against the introduction into the Community of organisms harmful to plants or plant products and against their spread within the Community 
			 2003/053/EC Relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (nonylphenol, nonylphenol ethoxylate and cement) 
			 2003/060/EC Fixing maximum levels for certain pesticide residues in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal origin and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables 
			 2003/062/EC Maximum pesticide residue levels for hexaconazole, clofentezine, myclobutanyl and prochloraz 
			 2003/066/EC Energy labelling of household electric refrigerators, freezers and their combinations 
			 2003/068/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include trifloxystrobin, carfentrazone-ethyl, meso-trone, fenamidone and isoxaflutole as active substances 
			 2003/069/EC Maximum residue levels for chlormequat, lambda-cyhalothrin, kresoxim-methyl, azoxystrobin and certain dithiocarbamates 
			 2003/070/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include mecoprop, mecoprop-P and propiconazole as active substances 
			 2003/074/EC Concerning the prohibition on the use in stock farming of certain substances having a hormonal or thyrostatic action and of beta-agonists 
			 2003/079/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include Coniothyrium minitrans as an active substance 
			 2003/081/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include molinate, thiram and ziram as active substances 
			 2003/082/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC as regards standard phrases for special risks and safety precautions for plant protection products 
			 2003/084/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include flurtamane, flufenacet, iodosulfiiron, dimethenamide-p, picoxystrobin, frosthiazate-silthiofam as active substances 
			 2003/090/EC As regards the characteristics to be covered as a minimum by the examination and the minimum conditions for examining certain varieties of agricultural plant species 
			 2003/091/EC As regards the characteristics to be covered as a minimum by the examination and the minimum conditions for examining certain varieties of vegetable species 
			 2003/099/EC On the monitoring of zoonoses and zoonotic agents 
			 2003/112/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include paraquat as an active substance 
			 2003/113/EC Amending Annexes to Council Directives 86/362/EEC, 86/363/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards the fixing of maximum levels for certain pesticide residues in and on cereals, foodstuffs of animal origin and certain products of plant origin, including fruit and vegetables 
			 2003/118/EC Amending Annexes to Council Directives 76/895/EEC, 86/362/EEC and 90/642/EEC as regards maximum residue levels for acephate, 2,4-D and parathion-methyl 
			 2003/119/EC Amending Council Directive 91/414/EEC to include mesosulfron, propoxycarbazone and zoxamide as active substances

EU Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to ensure market stability after the reform of the EU Sugar Regime.

Alun Michael: The European Commission has still to make detailed proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime. In setting out its preferred approach, the Commission has stressed the need for a sustainable long term policy perspective, including greater market orientation and improved competitiveness. The July 2004 Communication to the Council set out a range of measures intended to provide for a stable future. The Government have welcomed these ideas as an important step in the right direction.

EU Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the reform of the EU Sugar Regime on the (a) number of UK sugar beet producers and (b) sugar price.

Alun Michael: The European Commission has still to make detailed proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime. When putting forward options for political debate in September 2003, the Commission published a summary of impact assessment work and has since released additional analysis to support the preferred approach set out in its July 2004 Communication. The Government have commented on this in the Explanatory Memoranda submitted for scrutiny proposes and has also published the results of independent research commissioned by Defra into the economic, social and environmental implications of sugar reform. A full Regulatory Impact Assessment will be prepared once formal proposals are available.

EU Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking to protect the interests of UK sugar producers in the reform of the EU Sugar Regime.

Alun Michael: The Government's aim is to secure a more economically rational and market-based sugar regime consistent with our international trade and development obligations and our wider sustainability objectives. A sugar reform which meets these conditions ought to be to the advantage of everyone.

EU Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action she is taking to ensure that there will be competitive prices following the reform of the EU Sugar Regime.

Alun Michael: The European Commission has still to make detailed proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime. Its July 2004 Communication calls for a significant reduction in institutional price support, including the replacement of intervention by a new reference price system. The Commission has also highlighted the need for greater market orientation and improved competitiveness. The Government have welcomed these ideas as a important step in the right direction, but will need to consider the position further once formal proposals are available and negotiations begin.

EU Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether there will be a sugar quota cut for the UK following the reform of the EU Sugar Regime.

Alun Michael: The European Commission has still to make detailed proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime. Its July 2004 Communication calls for simplification of the present quota system by merging the A and B quotas into a single quota and for a reduction in the resulting total quota level in order to reach a sustainable balance on the EU sugar market. This approach, if adopted by the Council of Ministers, would result in a quota cut for all sugar producing member states, including the UK.

EU Sugar Regime

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether the Government are supporting beet-specific compensation following the reform of the EU Sugar Regime; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  whether the Government are supporting mandatory decoupled compensation in the reform of the EU Sugar Regime.

Alun Michael: The European Commission has still to make detailed proposals for reform of the EU sugar regime. Its July 2004 Communication envisages the introduction of partial compensation for producers in the form of a direct decoupled payment, with the same historical reference period and integrated into the single farm payment scheme resulting from the June 2003 Common Agricultural Policy reforms. The Government have supported this general approach, but will need to consider the position further once formal proposals are available and negotiations being.

GDP/Greenhouse Gases

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of historical links between GDP and greenhouse gas emissions.

Elliot Morley: Greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP in the UK reduced by approximately 36 per cent. between 1990 and 2002. The improving ratio is predominantly due to a combination of energy efficiency improvements and structural change in the UK economy, lower emissions of non-CO2 gases and fuel switching in the electricity supply industry.

Oil Tanks

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial measures she plans to provide to assist householders to comply with regulations from the Environment Agency on relocating oil tanks.

Elliot Morley: The Environment Agency is using its general powers under the Water Resources Act 1991 to promote action by owners of domestic oil storage tanks to reduce the risk of pollution of an important groundwater source, used for public potable supply, underneath the village of Otterton in East Devon.
	Neither the Department nor the Agency has plans or funds to offer financial assistance but the Agency will explore with those in genuine difficulty whether it is possible to take remedial action over a longer time period.

Ramin

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to ensure the implementation of the Appendix II listing of ramin agreed at the conference of the parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting in Thailand immediately after the 90-day period when the new listing is due to come into force.

Ben Bradshaw: This issue is to be discussed at the next meeting of the EU Committee on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora on 14 December 2004 and we will be pressing the Commission to ensure that this, and all the other CITES listings, are implemented within the 90 day deadline.

Ramin

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what efforts are being taken to encourage action at an EU level to ensure that ramin is listed under Annex B of EU Regulation 338/97.

Elliot Morley: Proposals to amend the Annexes to Council Regulation (EC) No. 338/97, including the listing of ramin on Annex B, will be discussed at the next meeting of the EU Committee on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora on 14 December 2004. These changes are needed to give effect to the amendments to the CITES appendices agreed in Bangkok last October and the UK will be pressing the Commission to ensure that they are adopted within the 90 day deadline.

Recycling (Christmas Products)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) Christmas cards and (b) Christmas trees that were recycled in each year since 1990; what support she provides to local authorities with regard to the recycling of Christmas cards; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Department does not collect separate data specific to either of these two recyclates.
	Defra does support and takes part in a Christmas Card Recycling Scheme run by the Woodland Trust. Available data is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Year in which recyling carried out Number of cards recycled (millions) Weight (tonnes) 
		
		
			 1999 30.5 600 
			 2000 20 400 
			 2001 41 800 
			 2002 34 671 
			 2003 40 800 
			 2004 45 883 
		
	
	The charity Environ estimates that 750,000 Christmas trees were recycled during 2003 (approx 12.5 per cent. of the total number sold) but they do not have information for previous years.
	Defra's Waste Implementation Programme provides a range of support to local authorities to help them improve their recycling and composting performance.

Saker Falcons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of the illegal taking of saker falcons from the wild for falconry purposes on this species' wild population across Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Elliot Morley: At the 19th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Animals Committee in August 2003, the Committee decided to include the saker falcon in the review of significant trade in specimens of Appendix II species. Appendix II species are recognised as vulnerable species that may become endangered unless trade in them is strictly regulated.
	A copy of the full document may be found at http://www.cites.org/eng/cttee/AC/20/E20–08–1.pdf.

Saker Falcons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department is taking to raise awareness among falconers of the impact which illegal trade can have on wild populations of saker falcons.

Elliot Morley: Officials from the Department have regular contact with falconers in the UK and have also attended falconry events overseas. These forums are an ideal opportunity to disseminate the latest information on all birds of prey and falconry, including the effect on the numbers of wild populations of falcons because of their illegal taking and trade. Additionally, there are regular bulletins issued by the Department which are sent to falconers, which contain advice on changes in the conservation status, and levels of protection and control, which may be afforded to a specific species.

Saker Falcons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department is taking (a) to raise awareness and (b) to improve the training of the UK police in dealing with the illegal trade in saker falcons.

Elliot Morley: Defra contributes to Police Wildlife Crime Officer's training principally through the Partnership for Action against wildlife Crime. Such training includes advice and information about the legislation governing all wildlife species of conservation concern, as well as about offences against those controls, the powers available to the police to investigate them and the penalties which the courts may impose

Saker Falcons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what measures her Department is taking to raise awareness among (a) transport companies and (b) HM Customs and Excise of the problems of illegal trade in saker falcons.

Elliot Morley: Officials from the Department have advised transport associations and individual transport companies of the necessity to comply with the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This advice emphasises the importance to transporters of obtaining the correct CITES documentation in order to move such species across international borders, and the ramifications to their customers of the failure to meet those requirements.
	As the first point of contact on entry into the UK, HM Customs and Excise officials are also aware of CITES and the requirement that the appropriate import documents to be presented. This applies to the saker falcon and all other CITES listed species.

Saker Falcons

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce mandatory registration schemes for people wishing to keep saker falcons in captivity.

Ben Bradshaw: A full public consultation is about to commence on changes to the species currently included on Schedule 4 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. If, as a result of the review, the saker falcon is included in the Schedule, any person keeping one in captivity will be committing an offence if they fail to register it.

Snowfall Predictions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the predicted future annual number of days when there is snowfall is for (a) London, (b) Edinburgh, (c) Bristol and (d) Inverness in (i) 2010, (ii) 2020, (iii) 2030 and (iv) 2050.

Elliot Morley: In April 2002, the Department published new climate change scenarios for the UK. These scenarios include information on total winter snowfall amounts, but not number of snowfall days. Snowfall totals decline substantially over the whole UK and in all scenarios, with the largest percentage reductions around the coast and in the English lowlands.
	While there are no robust estimates at the scale of individual cities, the scenarios indicate that in the London, Edinburgh, Bristol and Inverness areas snowfall could be reduced by up to 55, 50, 57 and 59 per cent. respectively, by the 2050s (compared to the 1961–1990 average baseline), depending on the degree of future climate change.
	For the particular years in question a general scaling back of the UK-wide data gives the following estimates of the reduction in snowfall over these periods, depending on whether there is a low or high degree of climate change:
	
		
			  Percentage reduction 
		
		
			 2010 17–30 
			 2020 22–38 
			 2030 27–47 
			 2050 37–65 
		
	
	These figures represent general trends, not predictions of the amount of snowfall in specific years, which will be greatly influenced by natural year-to-year variability, particularly in the first few decades of the century.
	Further information is available in the full report in the Libraries of both Houses.

Waste Products

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate what volume and proportion of food from (a) supermarkets, (b) households, (c) restaurants and other eating establishments and (d) other sources became waste products in the last period for which figures are available.

Elliot Morley: The data is not available in the form requested. The Environment Agency's National Waste Production Survey (NWPS) of 20,000 businesses, conducted in 1998/99, produced the following estimates.
	
		
			 Sector Quantity of waste in tonnes As percentage of food waste produced by theCommercial and Industrial sectors As percentage of total waste produced by the C and Il sectors 
		
		
			 Retail 253,000 9.77 0.29 
			 Hotels and Restaurants 10,000 0.38 0.01 
			 Food, Drinks and Tobacco 1,939,000 74.89 2.24 
			 Total 2,202,000 85.04 2.54 
		
	
	However these figures only relate to that fraction of the waste that is definitely food. A considerable amount of food waste was also contained within the general and biodegradable category. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimate that the amount of food waste produced by the hotel and restaurant sector, for example, could be as high as three million tonnes per year.
	The most recent estimates for UK municipal waste arisings and compositional statistics were collected for the Strategy Unit Report in 2002.
	From this data it is estimated that about 5.7 million tonnes of UK Municipal Solid Waste is food waste, or approximately 15 per cent. of total arisings.
	Government is currently consulting on a waste data strategy, designed to improve the quality of waste data in the interests of all potential users.

DEFENCE

Asbestos

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to decontaminate those of his Department's files which have become contaminated by asbestos; and what he estimates the cost of such decontamination to be.

Ivor Caplin: A project board has been set up to consider the options open to the Ministry of Defence that would enable files, previously stored in an asbestos contaminated environment, to be safely handled. The board is chaired by the MOD's departmental records officer and includes representatives from several Ministry of Defence branches together with a representative from the National Archives. A number of options are under consideration, with plans at an advanced stage for a short pilot project, to commence early in 2005. At the conclusion of this work possible solutions, together with projected costs, will be evaluated. It is not possible reliably to estimate the cost in advance of the pilot project.

Asbestos

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department discovered that certain of its files had become contaminated by asbestos; and what action was taken in response to enable those files to be used.

Ivor Caplin: The presence of asbestos in the basement area of the Old War Office Building was confirmed in May 2003.
	A decision was immediately made to safeguard the information contained in the records stored there and during the period June to December 2003 the files were progressively listed and packed to ensure that they could be safely handled. At the same time it was possible to implement the decontamination of the affected area of the building.
	Some 3,000 crates of affected files were transferred to another secure location during May 2004.
	Options open to the MOD to enable files to be safely handled so that access to the information in them can be restored were under consideration from the beginning. In August 2004, the departmental records officer decided that their development should be overseen by a formal project board.

Asbestos

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect asbestos contamination of his Department's files will have on access to those files under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Ivor Caplin: The information contained in the files previously stored in an asbestos contaminated basement has been safeguarded. A project board has been set up to formalise the consideration of the options open to the Ministry of Defence whereby this information may be made accessible for both departmental use, to enable the Ministry of Defence to respond to requests under the Freedom of Information Act and to allow the normal transfer of records to the National Archives.
	However, in view of the nature of the hazard posed to those who are likely to come into contact with the files, there must be a strict health and safety regime in place. In the circumstances, requests for information from files affected will be temporarily deferred until a fully operational facility is in place for their safe handling.

Asbestos

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of those files contaminated with asbestos he estimates to be accessible to the public under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Ivor Caplin: The Freedom of Information Act requires a case-by-case assessment in the circumstances of the time as to whether information which is the subject of a request may be withheld under any of the exemptions in the Act. It is therefore not possible to make an overall estimate.

Astute Class Submarines

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the original (a) estimated cost and (b) in-service delivery date was of the first three Astute class submarines; what the latest estimate is; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The National Audit Officer's Major Projects Report for 2004 has reported an expected total cost of £3,484 million against a re-costed approval of £2,578 million. The first of class, HMS Astute, had originally been expected to enter service in June 2005. HMS Astute is scheduled to be delivered to the Ministry of Defence by 2009. The second of class, HMS Ambush, will follow in mid 2010, and the third of class, HMS Artful, in 2012.

Cluster Munitions

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cluster munitions were imported in each year since 1992; what the total value of imports was in each year; and what the countries of origin were of these imports.

Adam Ingram: There have been no imports of air launched cluster munitions since 1992. Ground launched systems consist of:
	
		Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) based on a US design with theM26 rockets manufactured under licence in Germany
		
			  Quantity Estimated value (£ million) 
		
		
			 1992 6,816 38.756 
			 1993 8,058 49.025 
			 1994 8,670 56.441 
			 1995 6,030 42.004 
		
	
	Shell 155mm HE L20A1 Extended Range Bomblet Shell (ERBS) of which the following quantities have been purchased since 1992 sourced from Israel, quantity 30,345 in 1996/97, quantity 26,010 in year 2003 and quantity 3,009 in year 2004. I am withholding information on costs on the grounds of commercial confidentiality (Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information).

Compensation

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy for ex-gratia compensation payments to former civilian internees in the far east region.

Ivor Caplin: I refer the hon. Member to the response I made in the debate on the Ex-Gratia Payment Scheme on 7 September 2004, Official Report, columns 696–700.

CVF (Costs)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) estimated cost and (b) forecast in-service date was at the time the CVF was commissioned; and what the current forecasts are;.

Adam Ingram: Estimates for the cost and forecast in-service date of the Future Carrier programme continue to be refined during the Assessment Phase and will be confirmed when we take the main investment decision, scheduled for 2005. The target acquisition cost for the two carriers is around £3 billion with target in-service dates of 2012 and 2015.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is the policy of the Department to retain for the benefit of future (a) historians and (b) applicants under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the same (i) complete categories of files, (ii) numbers of files and (iii) representative examples of files from categories of files destroyed as had been preserved prior to the passage of that Act.

Ivor Caplin: No change is envisaged in the selection policy for the preservation of records on account of the passage of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Departmental Files

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been promulgated in each of the past five years to the guidelines or other criteria for the retention or destruction of departmental files.

Ivor Caplin: No substantive changes have been made in the last five years to the guidance. This is updated as necessary to reflect changing requirements.

Departmental Files

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many files held by the Department have been destroyed in each year since 1997.

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many departmental files have been destroyed in each of the past five years.

Ivor Caplin: The initial review of most files is delegated to the originating branch and there is no requirement for central reporting of statistics on destruction. Statistics are available for the volume of files centrally reviewed by the departmental records officer's staff and designated for destruction. Figures for each of the last five years are available and are given in linear metres of records:
	
		
			  Reviewed For destruction 
		
		
			 1999–2000 2,080 1,769 
			 2000–01 2,233 1,407 
			 2001–02 1,787 1,090 
			 2002–03 3,707 3,040 
			 2003–04 3,649 3,211

Energy Purchasing

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much he estimates his Department will save in (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2007–08 by coordinating the purchase of energy with the NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has no plans to co-ordinate the purchasing of energy with the NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency.

Manning Control Point Reviews

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions (a) the King's Own Scottish Borderers, (b) The Royal Scots, (c) The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, (d) The Black Watch, (e) the Parachute Regiment, (f) The Green Howards, (g) The Royal Irish Regiment, (h) The Royal Green Jackets, (i) The Queen's Own Hussars, (j) The Royal Signals and (k) The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have received lists of names for manning control point reviews in the last 18 months.

Ivor Caplin: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 The King's Own Scottish Borderers 0 
			 The Royal Scots 0 
			 The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 0 
			 The Black Watch 0 
			 The Parachute Regiment 6 
			 The Green Howards 3 
			 The Royal Irish Regiment 6 
			 The Royal Green Jackets 3 
			 The Queen's Royal Hussars(14) 5 
			 Royal Corps of Signals 0 
			 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 0 
		
	
	(14) The Queen's Own Hussars were amalgamated with the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1993, therefore the information provided is for the amalgamated regiment, the Queen's Royal Hussars.

Manning Control Point Reviews

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when and how each soldier whose name is included on lists sent to units for the purpose of manning control point reviews is informed that they are under career review.

Ivor Caplin: Soldiers are not informed that their name has been included on the list, which would include the names of all soldiers who match the parameters for review. They would be informed if their Commanding Officer recommended them for discharge as a result of the review.

Manning Control Point Reviews

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated administration cost was of producing manning control point reviews for (a) The Black Watch, (b) The Parachute Regiment and (c) The Royal Signals in the last 18 months.

Ivor Caplin: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Medals

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the unit cost is of striking a campaign medal in (a) cupronickel and (b) silver;
	(2)  what the benefits to (a) the recipient and (b) the Government are of striking campaign medals in (i) cupronickel and (ii) silver;
	(3)  what the estimated cost is of reverting from striking campaign medals in cupronickel to silver;
	(4)  if he will revert to the practice of striking campaign medals in silver; and if he will make a statement.

Ivor Caplin: Campaign medals, such as the General Service Medal, are made from silver. War medals, such as the Iraq Medal, have, since the Second World War, been made from cupronickel. There are no plans to revert to the practice of striking war medals in silver. The additional cost of striking a war medal in silver would depend on the market rate for silver bullion and the number of medals issued. The current difference in unit cost is approximately £10. The current unit cost of making a campaign medal in silver is £23.31 plus VAT plus bullion (which varies in price but at present is £5.92 per unit). The current unit cost of making a war medal in cupronickel is £19.93 plus VAT. While the silver medal is clearly a superior product, the quality of the cupronickel medal is considered acceptable and no justification is seen for a 17 per cent. cost increase, especially given the large number of war medals made.

Merlin Helicopter

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on which (a) frigates and (b) type-45 destroyers it is proposed to deploy the Merlin helicopter.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is as follows:
	HMS Argyll, Lancaster, Iron Duke, Monmouth, Montrose, Westminster, Northumberland, Richmond, Sutherland, Somerset, Portland, St.Albans and Kent either are, or will be modified to enable them to embark Merlin helicopters. All Type 45 destroyers will be capable of embarking Merlin.

Merlin Helicopter

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to deploy the Merlin ASW helicopter on the CVF; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) will be a versatile platform, and will operate a number of aircraft types in a variety of roles. Whilst it will be capable of operating the Merlin Mk1 helicopter, it is too early to say specifically what our plans will be for this aircraft's deployment on CVF.

Parachute Pay

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) officers and (b) airmen in the Royal Air Force are in receipt of parachute pay.

Adam Ingram: On 26 November 2004, there were approximately 20 officers and 90 airmen in the Royal Air Force in receipt of parachute pay.

Royal Navy Operations

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the merits of the policy of moving Royal Navy operations from open seas to a littoral environment; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The shift in emphasis in Royal Navy operations from the open seas towards the littoral was assessed by the Secretary of State for Defence in April this year when he endorsed the Future Navy paper, which set out the Navy Board's rolling strategic vision for the navy of the future. This has the concept of a versatile maritime force (VMF) at its core, and the paper describes, in conjunction with its sister paper the Future Maritime Operational Concept, how the VMF will play an increasingly effective role in meeting the core maritime roles, including influencing events ashore through maritime force projection using maritime strike and littoral manoeuvre. Flexible global reach, allowing achievement of early, rapid and sustainable effect, will also continue to be a core maritime role.

Sonar 2087

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which type-23 frigates will be fitted with Sonar 2087; and what the expected date of installation is in each case.

Adam Ingram: On current plans eight of the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates will be fitted with the 2087 sonar system. It has already been fitted to HMS Westminster and will be installed on the seven remaining vessels during their next available upkeep periods. The currently planned start dates for these upkeep periods, which are subject to periodic review, are:
	
		
			 Ship Upkeep start date 
		
		
			 HMS Northumberland Under way 
			 HMS Richmond March 2005 
			 HMS Somerset April 2006 
			 HMS St. Albans May 2007 
			 HMS Sutherland July 2007 
			 HMS Kent January 2010 
			 HMS Portland November 2010

Surface Combatant Maritime Rotacraft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to ensure Royal Navy (a) frigates and (b) destroyers are equipped with embarked helicopters prior to the in-service date for the surface combatant maritime rotacraft; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy frigates and destroyers will continue to be equipped as necessary with Lynx Mk3/8 or Merlin Mk1 as embarked helicopters until a replacement for the Lynx Mk3/8 is delivered under our future helicopter programme.

Trident

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what plans his Department has for a replacement for the Trident missile system; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what research is being undertaken by his Department on possible replacements for the Trident submarine fleet; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 28 October 2004, Official Report, columns 1371–72W.

Trident

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans the Government has for (a) renewing and (b) replacing the Trident weapons system; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 3.11 of the 2003 Defence White Paper (Cm 6041–1).

Type 45 Destroyers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the planned eight type-45 destroyers will replace the eight remaining type-42s on a one-for-one basis; and whether any of the remaining type-42s will be decommissioned before its successor type-45 enters service.

Adam Ingram: The Secretary of State for Defence announced on 21 July 2004 that the oldest type 42 Destroyers, HMS Cardiff, HMS Newcastle and HMS Glasgow will be decommissioned by the end of 2005. While our future capability requirements are no longer dictated by the procurement of like for like platforms, the remaining type 42s are currently scheduled to be withdrawn from service from the type 45 First of Class in service date and then at intervals staged to match the in service date of incoming type-45 destroyers.

Type 45 Destroyers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expect the type-45–08 to become fully operational.

Adam Ingram: In July 2004 the Secretary of State for Defence announced plans for class of eight Type 45 Destroyers, six of which are currently on contract. Formal approval, and a subsequent order, for ships seven and eight will be sought at the appropriate time. On current plans we would expect those ships to enter service during the middle of the next decade.

Typhoon

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations his Department has made to the Greek Government regarding the export of Typhoon aircraft.

Adam Ingram: The proposal to export Typhoon aircraft to Greece is being led by Germany and the United Kingdom is playing a full part in supporting it as a Typhoon partner nation. In recent years this has included meetings and correspondence at both senior official and ministerial level.

Uniforms

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many uniforms were contracted to be delivered under the contract with Cooneen, Watts & Stone for the supply of camouflage uniforms; and how many have been delivered.

Adam Ingram: The contract for Cut & Sewn Garments covers a wide range of items, many of which, including combat clothing, are not due to commence delivery until early 2005. The number of uniforms to be delivered under this contract will vary item by item, and the exact quantities will not be determined until the Department raises warrants to meet the armed forces' requirements during the five-year period of the contract.

Uniforms

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what penalties are included in the contract with Cooneen, Watts & Stone for failure to deliver on time.

Adam Ingram: Penalties are not enforceable under English Law. The prime contractor has the incentive to properly perform under this contract, as the full five-year duration is subject to continued satisfactory performance. The company is required to make alternative arrangements if there is a risk of delivery failure. However, should they still fail to deliver on time, remedies under the contract include the right to claim damages commensurate with any consequent loss suffered by the Department.

Uniforms

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what stocks of camouflage uniforms his Department holds.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence currently holds sufficient stocks of camouflage clothing to meet current and anticipated requirements for at least the next six months.
	In addition to items issued to individuals, the following stock was held as at 30 November 2004:
	
		
			 Item Stock held 
		
		
			 Desert combat clothing  
			 Field jacket 2,705 
			 Lightweight jacket 6,315 
			 Lightweight trousers 17,386 
			 Windproof trousers 770 
			 Hat 9,303 
			 Sweat rags 39,816 
			   
			 CS95 woodland clothing  
			 Lightweight trousers 75,975 
			 Lightweight jacket 72,200 
			 Field jacket 69,911 
			 Hat 12,913

US Navy

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British subjects are employed by the US Navy operations in London.

Adam Ingram: The US Navy employs 353 non-US nationals either as direct-hires or through contractors, in support of operations in London. Their regulations require only that all employees in the UK hold legal work permits therefore they are unable to confirm that all employed are British subjects.

PRIME MINISTER

IAEA Reports (Iraq)

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Prime Minister what (a) oral and (b) written reports he received on the morning of 7 September 2002 from the International Atomic Energy Agency concerning Iraq's weapons capability.

Tony Blair: I received no reports from the IAEA on the morning of 7 September 2002 concerning Iraq's weapons capability. While there was media reporting at the time of UN officials having identified new construction and other unexplained changes at several nuclear related sites in Iraq, this was subsequently denied by the IAEA.

IAEA Reports (Iraq)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on recent talks with the Iraqi Prime Minister concerning progress in Iraq.

Tony Blair: I recently agreed with the Iraqi Prime Minister the importance of holding elections according to the agreed January timetable as well as ensuring the broadest possible participation by all Iraqis. We also reviewed progress in the Iraqi Interim Government's strategy for ensuring security for the elections.
	I also refer my hon. Friend to the Press Conference I held with Prime Minister Allawi on 19 September 2004, which is available on the Number 10 website.

Ministerial Committees

Norman Baker: To ask the Prime Minister for what reason the Environment Secretary has no place on (a) the Ministerial Committees on Defence and Overseas policy and (b) the Ministerial Sub-Committee on Relations with the United States.

Tony Blair: On 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 104WS, I announced the current list of Cabinet Committees and sub-committees, their membership and terms of reference. Other Ministers and officials can be invited to meetings of Ministerial Committees when necessary.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Colombia

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what mechanisms are in place to ensure that UK Government assistance to Colombia excludes the funding of government-sponsored agencies or groups that are known human rights abusers.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID no longer has any government-to-government bilateral projects in Colombia. Our last project, in the agricultural sector, ended in 2003 and was consistent with the United Nations (UN) human rights recommendations.
	DFID's support to Colombia now takes the form of our contribution to multilateral agencies working in Colombia, in particular the European Commission's (EC) development assistance, and direct support to non-governmental organisations through the Civil Society Challenge Fund (CSCF). The EC has made clear its support for the UN's human rights recommendation. In designing projects it takes account of the need to avoid funds being used in a way that would not be compliant with UN human rights recommendations. The CSCF only supports UK based organisations working in partnership with local civil society organisations.
	The British Government also ensure the reliability and probity of those in receipt of UK military assistance. DFID uses the best information available to assure ourselves that Colombian authorities benefiting from UK assistance are not engaged in activities that violate human rights, aid internal repression or are in collusion with paramilitary organisations. This includes personal interviews and background checks. We keep in close contact with the activities concerned to maintain this assurance throughout the duration of any project.

Departmental Advertising

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which Muslim newspapers the Department advertises; and what kinds of advertising the Department places in Muslim newspapers.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not advertise in any religious media, although we have trialled the use of various ethnic minority publications. In the interests of fair and open competition all our external vacancies are advertised on our website and in media aimed at targeting the broadest readership from all parts of the community.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last two years.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: The energy costs of the DFID UK estate over the last two years have been as follows:
	
		
			  2002–03 2003–04 
		
		
			 Electricity 258,886 290,160 
			 Heating fuels 60,226 65,698 
			 Total 319,112 355,858 
		
	
	DFID energy costs have increased by 11 per cent. This is mainly due to additional consumption as a result of our East Kilbride office being refurbished during this period.
	DFID has established Environmental Management Systems in it's UK offices and is not only actively monitoring energy utilisation but also considering, on an on-going basis, any opportunities to further improve energy efficiency measures.
	Information on energy costs for our overseas offices is not centrally available and could not be obtained without incurring a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in each of the last two years.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: No costs have been incurred in refurbishing ministerial private offices in the last two years.

Displaced Persons (Burma)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action his Department is taking to ensure that ethnic minorities in Burma (a) are protected from violence and (b) have access to humanitarian assistance.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: Many of the most vulnerable people in Burma live in the border regions. In order to help them directly, DFID is funding work to provide assistance and protection, including giving support to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and other international and national non-governmental organisations. DFID has also recently agreed to work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support the expansion of its grassroots assistance programme into more of the ethnic minority areas.
	At the same time, the UK is working to ensure that human rights issues, including the protection of ethnic minority people, are raised with the Burmese authorities. The UK has been a strong supporter of the work of the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro, and the work of the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative, Razali Ismail., Along with EU partners, the UK is working hard to ensure that human rights in Burma are fully addressed at this year's United Nations General Assembly.

EU Directives

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each.

Hilary Benn: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only by incurring a disproportionate cost. DFID does not hold information on the costs of implementation to public funds or businesses.

Food Aid (Southern Africa)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps (a) his Department and (b) other donors are taking to source food aid for southern Africa from local suppliers.

Hilary Benn: DFID is conscious of the adverse impact of food aid on local economies. DFID's support for World Food Programme (WFP) operations has been accompanied by pressure to programme food aid in ways that minimise disincentives for local production, and that will not disrupt local food markets. DFID, and other like-minded donors, have consistently called for better targeting and monitoring mechanisms and for increases in regional and local procurement of food.
	The WFP has recognised and acted upon these concerns in southern Africa. In the last year the WFP procured more than 100,000 metric tonnes of food from Zambia for use in its operations in the region. In another example, DFID's support for food aid operations in Mozambique last year was based on locally procured supplies, ensuring that competitively priced surplus grain in the north was sourced for food aid needs in the south.
	DFID is supporting the WFP's efforts to strengthen food market analysis in their emergency needs assessments. DFID is are complementing this by building on our support for national Vulnerability Assessment Committees to enable them to undertake more detailed food market assessments.

Liberia

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is giving to Liberia, with particular reference to farmers who grow rubber.

Hilary Benn: Over the last year, in Liberia, DFID has contributed £3 million to The United Nations Trust Fund for Disarmament, Demobilisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration, and £1 million to UNICEF for education and reintegration projects for child ex-combatants. DFID has allocated £10.6 million in humanitarian aid, focusing on the emergency reactivation of community-based services. DFID is providing consultancy support on public administration reform to the Governance Reform Commission, and have commissioned a report on the justice sector, with a view to possible assistance. DFID's share of the European Union's reconstruction programmes is approximately £7.5 million and have seconded a governance advisor to the EU office in Monrovia.
	DFID does not provide support to rubber farmers. However, the European Union's Local Community Development Programme, which supports small projects, includes support for small rubber plantations.

Malawi

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to establish a long-term recovery and development strategy to combat food shortages in Malawi.

Mr. Gareth Thomas: DFID is supporting the Government of Malawi, directly and through the European Union (EU), to remedy problems of chronic and acute hunger. We are supporting development of the Government's new National Food and Nutrition Security Policy. This builds on experience in Ethiopia and Zambia in order to tackle the underlying causes of chronic food insecurity by raising agricultural productivity and providing more efficient safety nets. Other measures include the Food-Nutrition Security Information System and the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee that co-ordinates action.
	The Government of Malawi also wants to diversify its economy so as to create more paid employment. DFID and the EU are supporting Government policies that will improve the environment for private sector investment by lowering inflation and interest rates, reviewing the tax regime and cracking down on corruption. DFID support includes poverty reducing budget support and support to the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
	To address acute food shortages affecting 1.3 million Malawians this year, DFID and the EU are supporting humanitarian food aid. DFID's contribution is £5 million. This aid will also help prevent the decline in livelihoods over the longer-term that is associated with such crises.

Northern Cyprus

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on EU aid to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Denis MacShane: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government strongly supports EU efforts to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots and assist the economic development of northern Cyprus. At the request of the General Affairs Council of EU Foreign Ministers, the Commission has produced a regulation to disburse 259 million euros of aid to northern Cyprus. This regulation, along with a regulation enabling direct preferential trade between the north and the EU, has yet to be agreed. The Government strongly supports the EU Presidency in their determination to agree these two regulations and to fulfil the Council mandate to end the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 departmental special advisers travelled (a) domestically and (b) abroad in an official capacity; what places were visited; and how much each visit cost.

Hilary Benn: Between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004 DFID's special advisers made the following trips in an official capacity with the Secretary of State for International Development:
	
		
			 Trip details (date, destination, purpose etc.) Number of special advisers Approximate cost to DFID for travel and incidentals (actual cost details are not held centrally for the dates requested) (£) 
		
		
			 Rwanda/Uganda/Kenya, 30 July-1 August 2003 1 3,690 
			 World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings, Dubai, 21–23 September 2003 1 3,250 
			 New York (United Nations meetings), 28–31 October 2003 1 3,150 
			 7–11 February 2004, Ethiopia bilateral visit 1 1,900 
			 Approximate total for period 31 March 2003–31 March 2004  11,990 
		
	
	Both special advisers have attended occasional conferences within the UK (eg Wilton Park) in their official capacity; the costs of these have been minimal.
	All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the guidelines set out in the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Special Advisers

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the total travel costs to his Department have been for (a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials for each year since 1997.

Hilary Benn: Since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all overseas visits undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing £500 or more during each financial year. On an annual basis, the Government have also published the costs of Ministers' visits overseas. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House. These report information reaching back to 1995–96. Information for earlier years and for official travel before 2001 could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost and in some cases will no longer be held.
	In 2001–02 and 2002–03, figures for travel by DFID officials were £2.19 million and £2.32 million respectively. For the same periods, figures for ministerial and special adviser travel were £0.17 million and £0.32 million respectively. It is not possible to disaggregate ministerial and special adviser travel without incurring disproportionate cost.
	In 2003–04, DFID introduced new procedures to draw together administration costs, including those travel costs which had previously been recorded on country programme budgets. These changes have improved transparency and management of administration costs, but mean that figures from 2003–04 now include travel costs that were previously funded by country programmes and as a result are not comparable with earlier years. For 2003–04, the figure for official travel was £10.41 million, and £0.27 million for ministerial and special adviser travel.
	All official travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules contained in DFID's staff handbook. All ministerial and special adviser travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards implementing the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive into UK law.

Mike O'Brien: The Government have recently completed a consultation on draft implementing Regulations and draft guidance for the waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. The Government are considering carefully the views expressed by respondents and in the light of these I and my ministerial colleagues will decide on the final Regulations and guidance.

World Trade Organisation

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the progress of the negotiations at the World Trade Organisation.

Patricia Hewitt: Negotiations in Geneva on the Doha Development Agenda since the agreement of Frameworks at the end of July have been progressing smoothly. Negotiations are currently focused on clearing away the technical undergrowth, which is essential to allow substantial progress to be made by the Sixth WTO Ministerial in Hong Kong in December 2005.

Internet Scams

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has received about dial-up internet scams; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has received around 145 written representations about such scams in the past calendar year.
	In the summer the Government asked Ofcom to undertake a review of the regulation of premium rate services (prs), the abuse of which has led to some consumers falling victim to dial-up internet scams. The report has been published today and contains a set of recommendations to reduce the scope for consumer harm. The recommendations will, when implemented, tighten up the regulatory regime giving the regulator, ICSTIS, more powers to act more quickly against those abusing the prs payment mechanism. They will improve the likelihood of consumers being able to get their money back where they are the subject of a prs fraud. They will also ensure that consumers are better informed of how to avoid being the victim of prs fraud. The review recommendations include:
	Telecoms network providers should not make payments to service providers offering prs for at least 30 days. This will give the regulator ICSTIS sufficient time to assess complaints and fraudulent activity. These payments should also be frozen during any additional investigation that is necessary and if necessary for a further three monthhs after an investigation is complete to fund any customer refunds that ICSTIS concludes are appropriate.
	The ICSTIS Code should require network providers to better support ICSTIS by providing detailed information on the identity of those companies offering prs, by taking all reasonable steps to ensure that information is accurate and by providing ICSTIS with call traffic and revenues data when complaints have been received. All this information will make it easier for ICSTIS to identify and act against those that abuse prs.
	The ICSTIS Code should require companies offering prs to have effective customer service and refund policies in place. Telecoms providers should be required to make practical information on prs available to their customers, including information on how to bar prs calls and how to protect themselves when using internet dialler services.
	The Department, Ofcom and ICSTIS will now form a Steering Committee to oversee the implementation of these recommendations as soon as possible. However the implementation process will take some months to complete as a number of the recommendations will require changes to both the ICSTIS Code and to the Ofcom general conditions of entitlement both of which require full public consultation. There is also a requirement for an EU consultation on changes to the ICSTIS Code which we plan to carry out in parallel with the domestic consultation processes.
	Until the recommendations can be implemented the emphasis should be on ICSTIS continuing to use the powers that it has to take enforcement action against those that abuse the prs charging mechanism and on raising consumer awareness of how they can best protect themselves from prs fraud.

Loan Sharks

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals she has to limit the activities of loan sharks.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The DTI have funded a pilot project to tackle illegal loan sharks in the Trading Standards areas of the West Midlands and Glasgow. Dedicated teams in each area run the two year pilot, which began in September and is progressing well.
	Through the Consumer Credit Bill, the Government will also increase protection for consumers in the regulated credit market.

Manufacturing Industry

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact on manufacturing industry of the recent rise in gas prices.

Mike O'Brien: The Department is monitoring closely the impact of rising gas prices on British manufacturing. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is meeting representatives of industry today, and I have met two large chemical companies, to address their concerns in this area.
	The increases are in the main a result of market forces and follow a period in which gas prices have generally been at historically low levels in real terms. The UK has the most competitive energy market in the EU and industrial electricity and gas prices have been among the lowest in the EU over the last few years.

Asbestos Claims

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many asbestos claims her Department estimates it will receive from former employees of (a) British Ship Builders and (b) British Coal.

Nigel Griffiths: I am advised that forecasting future claims is difficult. The volume of asbestos claims for British Ship Builders has been rising. It is estimated that there would be 3,000 to 5,000 future claims.
	With regard to employment with British Coal, I am advised that asbestos claims are a very small part of the overall compensation and no future forecast has been made. In the 12 month period, from 1 October 2003, 84 asbestos related claims were received.

Asbestos Claims

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average compensation payment made to former employees of British Ship Builders diagnosed to be suffering a pleural plaque has been.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 8 December 2002
	The average compensation payment made to former British Shipbuilders suffering from pleural plaques is around £6,700.

Coalminers' Compensation (Bassetlaw)

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individuals from Bassetlaw have submitted claims under the Coalminers' Compensation Scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 7 December 2004
	The answer is as follows:
	8,833 respiratory disease claims and 4,878 Vibration White Finger claims have been submitted by claimants in Bassetlaw under the British Coal Health Schemes.
	The information is complied in the middle of the month and shows the figures for the end of the previous month.
	Note:
	Constituency figures can be found on the Department's website www.dti.gov.uk/coalhealth

Cold Calling

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what definition she has used to assess vulnerable people in the context of proposals to ban cold calling or doorstep selling.

Gerry Sutcliffe: No such definition has been used. The recent public consultation has been conducted as widely as possible but has included organisations representing sectors of the public often thought to be vulnerable in the context of cold calling and doorstep selling.
	The consultation did not put forward the option of an outright ban but invited views on a ban on cold calling to offer property services "with possible necessary exceptions".

Companies Act

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what estimate she has made of the amount paid into court pursuant to the provisions of section 430(11) of the Companies Act 1985 in the last year for which figures are available; and what use the Government has made of these funds.

Jacqui Smith: The last year for which figures are available is that to 31 October 2004. Between November 2003 and the end of October 2004 there were approximately 25 cases where payments were made into court under the provisions of section 430 (11) of the Companies Act 1985. Payments into court involved approximately 7,550 individual dissentient shareholdings with an approximate total value of £1.5 million.
	The funds are invested with the National Debt Commissioners as directed by the Administration of Justice Act 1982.

Migrant Workers

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the budget is for the Working Lives Institute's research project on migrant workers commissioned by the East of England Development Agency; what demand there has been for such research; and for what purpose the research results will be used.

Jacqui Smith: The total budget for the Working Lives Institute research project on migrant workers is £97,242.
	The demand for the study has come from the East of England Regional Assembly, Government Departments, the Trades Union Congress and Keystone Development—a community and voluntary group who work with migrant workers.
	The purpose of the study is to provide information about the migrant worker population in the East of England which will inform public policy interventions in areas such as health, housing and education.

Electricity/Gas Prices

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the implications for (a) household consumers and (b) industrial users of the change in the price of (i) electricity and (ii) gas since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: Domestic electricity prices at the end of 2004 will still be about 10 per cent. below the 1997 level in real terms, and domestic gas price increases this year will mean prices return to around their 1997 levels in real terms.
	Industrial electricity prices in 2004 are also still below their 1997 levels.
	Industrial gas prices in 2003 were already above 1997 levels, but even with the increases in 2004, they are still likely to be below the average over the last 30 years.

Fraudulent Mail

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with consumer groups about misleading letters sent through the post to people suggesting that they have won prizes; and if she will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I took part in the event to launch the Trading Standard's Institute's National Consumer Week in October. Themes for the week included misleading mailings.
	The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) have taken a lead within Europe in taking action against bogus prize draws and lotteries under new powers provided by the Injunctions Directive and the Enterprise Act 2002 ("Stop Now Orders").

Fuel Prices

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact on UK manufacturing competitiveness of increased fuel prices.

Jacqui Smith: The Department is monitoring closely developments in the UK gas market and the recent increase in the wholesale price of gas. Ofgem has now announced its conclusions on its investigation into gas price increases in 2003 and 2004. It has concluded that the main causes of rising UK gas prices are high oil prices feeding into gas prices and declining UK gas supplies. Ofgem is taking two courses of action. It is asking the European Commission to put more resources into making gas competition work, and is continuing to examine why some UK gas supplies did not reach the market.
	While the cost of gas to industry has been rising recently, this should be seen in the context of historical trends. In real terms gas prices for industrial users in 2003 were nearly 30 per cent. below their level in 1990 and well below their average over the last 30 years.
	Electricity prices have increased mainly as a result of the rise in gas prices and the recovery in wholesale prices from unsustainably low levels in 2002. Industrial electricity prices in 2003 were nearly 50 per cent. below their 1990 levels. Even after the latest increases we expect prices to remain competitive with those of our major EU competitors.
	The Department has recently published a report by Oxford Economic Research Associates which concluded that the UK has the most competitive energy markets in Europe. The report is available at: www.dti.gov.uk/energy/gas_and_electricity/competitiveness_structure/psa_final. pdf

Mersey Docks and Harbour Company

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what prerogatives of the previous Mersey Docks and Harbour Board over the Mersey Littoral were transferred to the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company on its privatisation.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	When the Mersey Docks and Harbour Act 1971 reconstituted the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board as a statutory public company, the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company, on 27 July 1971. Section 8 (1) stated that the duty of the Company shall be:
	"(a) to take such action as it considers necessary or desirable for or incidental to the
	maintenance, operation and improvement of-
	(i) the docks; and
	(ii) the conservancy of the port of Liverpool (other than the docks) and the approaches thereto;
	(b) to administer the pilotage services of the Liverpool pilotage district under the
	Liverpool Pilotage Order 1920."

Miners' Compensation

Bill Tynan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action she is taking to ensure fair payment of compensation to coal health claimants.

Nigel Griffiths: Compensation is paid in accordance with the claims handling agreements negotiated with the miners' solicitors. The Department pays for solicitors to advise claimants on the offers made to them to ensure they are fair and appropriate.We have paid out over £2.3 billion on the two main schemes.

Miners' Compensation

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much her Department paid to lawyers for their work in contesting the coal miners chronic obstructive pulmonary disease case (a) up to and (b) since the date of the appeal court judgment in the matter in respect of work dealing with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and vibration white finger.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The Department of Trade and Industry assumed liability for British Coal Corporation health claims from 20 December 1997. Prior to that date British Coal Corporation was responsible for its own legal costs. There have been a number of judgment dates in relation to the coal health litigations and the Department is not therefore able to provide a breakdown of pre and post appeal court judgment.
	With regard to costs paid to the claimants solicitors group, the Department is required to negotiate their generic costs on an ongoing basis and to date the sum of £7.8 million (including VAT and disbursements) has been paid for the period December 1997 to April 2002. This does not include trial costs.

Miners' Compensation

Michael Clapham: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the average settlement value was of (a) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (b) vibration white finger cases at the last date for which figures are available; and what assessment she has made of the time it will take to complete all the cases under both schemes.

Nigel Griffiths: holding answer 8 December 2004
	(a) The average damages for Respiratory Disease on fully settled claims is £7,326. Based on the current flow of claims the last claim is likely to be settled in 2011. However, as the hon. Member is aware, Sir Michael Turner, the judge who oversees the respiratory disease litigation, is currently reviewing proposals for the speeding up of the claims process. Sir Michael has asked the parties to return to court on 21 December for him to review their proposals. Once Sir Michael has made his ruling we will be in a better position to consider an aspirational end date for the processing of claims.
	(b) The average general damages figure for vibration white finger is:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 VWF—General damages 8,119 
			 VWF—Services(15) 8,490 
			 VWF—Total 8,628 
		
	
	(15) VWF Services average settlement value is derived from the services part of the settlement only, i.e. excludes any General Damages.
	Note:
	Average settlement values for COPD and VWF are derived from claims settled by payment and exclude denied/withdrawn claims as of 31 October 2004.
	We hope to have completed all offers for VWF general damages (apart from outstanding group three claims) by the end of 2004, and all claims settled by the end of 2005. For Services we hope to complete all medicals by the end of 2006 and to settle all Services claims by 2007.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid in fees to (a) Richmonds solicitors, (b) Rayleys solicitors and (c) the Union of Democratic Mineworkers for vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease claims under the coalminers' compensation scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: As of 21 November 2004 the figures are:
	
		
			 Solicitor Total Solicitors Costs £ million 
		
		
			 Richmonds 0.2 
			 Raleys 34 
			 Union of Democratic Mineworkers11 
		
	
	Note:
	Solicitor's costs include VAT on solicitor's profit costs and disbursements, but exclude generic costs paid to solicitors involved in the setting up of the scheme and overview of its operation.

Miners' Compensation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases have been submitted by Richmonds solicitors for compensation for vibration white finger and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease under the coalminers' compensation scheme.

Nigel Griffiths: Richmond solicitors have submitted 171 respiratory disease claims and 267 Vibration White Finger claims under the British Coal health schemes.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, when she expects to receive the opinion of the European Commission on the legality of providing state aid to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

Mike O'Brien: On 1 December The European Commission announced a formal investigation into the UK Government's notification in December 2003 of aid to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Under EC law the investigation can take up to 18 months. My officials will work closely with the Commission services to reach a positive outcome within this timeframe.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what discussions she has had with the European Commission on state funding issues with regard to the financing of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (a) before and (b) after the passing of the Energy Act 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: In December 2003 the UK formally notified the European Commission of its intention to support the creation of the NDA. Since then officials and officials in the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels have been in close contact with Commission services. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, also discussed the matter with former Competition Commissioner Monti.
	Most recently we have been in contact with the Commission to discuss the transitional arrangements under which the NDA will start work on 1 April 2005. They have confirmed in their press notice announcing the start of their formal investigation into aid to the NDA that these arrangements do not involve state aid.
	We will continue to work closely with the Commission during its investigation.

Premium Rate Telephone Calls

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with BT about the triggering of premium rate numbers through the internet.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has had extensive discussions with BT about the triggering of premium rate numbers through the internet. The outcome of consultations with ICSTIS are being announced today

Premium Rate Telephone Calls

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations she has received in the last three months about telephone calls unwittingly triggered through the internet to premium rate numbers; and how many of these involved children.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has received 74 representations about such calls in the last three months. Ten of these involved children.

Chemistry Department (Exeter University)

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on science research of the closure of the chemistry department at Exeter university; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I have been asked to reply. 
	It is too early to early to make a detailed assessment of the impact on science research as a result of the proposed closure of Exeter's chemistry department. However, the quality of chemistry research in English universities has increased significantly. 50 per cent. of departments were rated five or five* in the 2001 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) compared with only 20 per cent. in 1996. 27 per cent. were rated four as compared with 23 per cent. in 1996. Overall the UK currently ranks fourth in the world for the number and share of world citations in physical sciences.
	I have asked HEFCE to advise me on higher education subjects or courses of national strategic importance, including science subjects, where intervention might be appropriate to strengthen or secure them. HEFCE will be entering into a strategic dialogue with universities, colleges, employers and other partners to consider this matter.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Local Government Pension Scheme

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 1 December 2004, Official Report, column 125W, on the Local Government Pension Scheme, for what reason the amendments to the Local Government Pension Scheme to remove provisions that allow some scheme members to retire with unreduced pension benefits before the age of 65 years will come into effect before the consultation on the full scheme is completed.

Phil Hope: The proposed changes to the Local Government Pension Scheme are designed to amend the current Scheme, from 1 April 2005, to reflect pension policy regarding retirement age and to help stabilise employers' costs. The consultation exercise which began on 4 October is the first step in a longer term exercise to devise a new and modernised Scheme for the future which will build on the principles of affordability and sustainability being achieved by earlier regulatory changes. It is programmed to take effect in 2008.

Parliamentary Questions

Nigel Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, to how many written questions tabled in the last parliamentary session his Department had been unable to provide a substantive answer before the end of the session

Phil Hope: pursuant to the reply, 29 November 2004, Official Report, c. 41W
	It was not possible to provide a substantive answer to four questions prior to the prorogation of Parliament. Those questions were answered on 21 July 2004, Official Report, column 35WS, in accordance with the arrangements announced by the Leader of the House in a written ministerial statement.

Parliamentary Questions

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many written questions for his Office were unanswered when Parliament prorogued; and how many of the unanswered questions were tabled in each of the previous months of the 2003–04 Session.

Phil Hope: None.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Office since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Office between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; and when each appeal was lodged.

Phil Hope: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W, by my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Ruth Kelly).

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Women Prisoners

Julie Morgan: To ask the Minister for Women To ask the Minister for Womenwhat assessment she has made of the effects of the imprisonment of women on their families.

Jacqui Smith: The Prison Service recognises the importance of maintaining family ties while a mother is in prison.
	There is a package of measures to assist in mitigating the effects of imprisonment, such as Intermittent Custody, training for new prison officers and for those who are working specifically with women, to better understand the issues.

IT Industry

David Taylor: To ask the Minister for Women what recent assessment has been made of the need to recruit more women into the IT industry.

Jacqui Smith: The Government will continue to support a number of initiatives, including the information technology degree by e-Skills UK (the Sector Skills Council for IT sector) to encourage girls to seek careers in information technology. We are working with employers to address the situation by encouraging flexible working practices. The new Resource Centre for Women in SET will make working with employers in this area one of their top priorities.

Employment (City of York)

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for Women To ask the Minister for Womenhow many women have paid jobs in the City of York parliamentary constituency; and how many had paid jobs in 1997.

Patricia Hewitt: The number of women employed in the City of York is 39,234 out of a female working population of 47,300. I am pleased to note that unemployment is now at a 25 year low.

Commission for Equality and Human Rights

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Minister for Women if she will make a statement on the progress towards a Commission for Equality and Human Rights.

Jacqui Smith: We will be introducing legislation in this Session to create a Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The policies underpinning the legislation, which will allow the Commission to champion equality, diversity and human rights, and promote good relations between communities, were published on 18 November in the Government Response to the "Fairness for All" White Paper consultation.

Work-life Balance

Anne Campbell: To ask the Minister for Women what plans she has to offer advice on work-life balance issues to women in work.

Patricia Hewitt: The Women and Equality Unit published "Advancing Women in the Workplace" a good practice booklet for employers on how to improve the position of women at work, which covers work-life balance policies. The Department also provides a wealth of guidance around maternity law and best practice.

TRANSPORT

A21

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will announce his preferred route for the A21 from Robertsbridge to Flimwell; and if he will make a statement

David Jamieson: It was anticipated that a decision would be made on this scheme earlier in the year but it was found that further detailed appraisal was necessary. That said, the new procedures recently announced will mean that further progress is subject to regional priorities.

Bus Lanes

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of bus lanes have been built in each year since 1997.

Alistair Darling: The total length of bus lanes built in England for the financial years 2001–02 to 2003–04 are shown in the following table. Figures are not available for years prior to 2001–02.
	
		
			  Miles 
		
		
			 2001–02 37 
			 2002–03 67 
			 2003–04 81

Bus Lanes

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money was raised through fines from cars driving in bus lanes in each year since 1997; and to what uses such funds are put.

Alistair Darling: My Department does not collect data on the amount of fine income from bus lane enforcement. In London, bus lane enforcement is the joint responsibility of Transport for London and London boroughs, and under the London Local Authorities Act 1996 any surplus income from enforcement of bus lanes must be used for transport purposes. Outside London, responsibility for bus lane enforcement currently rest with the police. Any fines for misuse of bus lanes which they impose are reported within the general offence type "neglect of traffic directions" and separate information is not therefore available.

Bus Lanes

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average usage rates for bus lanes were in each year since 1997.

Alistair Darling: Although there is no data on bus lane use nationally, there is evidence of increasing patronage on guided bus ways. Patronage has generally increased on the five routes where guided bus ways have been introduced. For instance, the Ipswich route has seen journeys increase by 75 per cent. between 1995 and 2001.

Bus Services

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his latest estimate is of the level of the total financial support from each English county council for bus services in each year from 1997 to 2005; and if he will make a statement.

Charlotte Atkins: A table has been placed in the Libraries of the House, which show figures for the financial support for the provision of bus services by all local passenger transport authorities from 1997–98 to 2002–03. This information has been taken from local authority and Passenger Transport Authority administrative returns. Figures for actual or estimated expenditure by local authorities beyond March 2003 are not yet available.
	Local authorities also provide capital funding for infrastructure used by bus services and concessionary fares reimbursement to bus operators.

Bus Services

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the subsidy given to bus services in England in each year from 1997 was spent in (a) London and (b) the rest of England.

Alistair Darling: The following table shows the total amount of bus subsidy provided by local authorities outside London, spending by Transport for London/London Regional Transport on bus services in London net of fare income, and concessionary fare and BSOG payments in London and outside London.
	
		
			  £ millions adjusted to 2003–04 prices Percentage 
			  London Other England Total London Other England Total 
		
		
			 1997–98 162 720 882 18 82 100 
			 1998–99 181 770 950 19 81 100 
			 1999–00 190 820 1010 19 81 100 
			 2000–01 267 878 1145 23 77 100 
			 2001–02 389 868 1257 31 69 100 
			 2002–03 632 848 1480 43 57 100 
			 2003–04(p) 772 908 1680 46 54 100 
		
	
	Outside London, subsidy for local bus services consists of tendered services supported by local authorities (which includes funding provided under the Rural and Urban Bus Challenge Schemes and Rural Bus Subsidy Grant), Concessionary Fare Reimbursement for older people, disabled people and children (where child concessions are funded by the local authority), and Bus Service Operators Grant claimed by operators from DfT (formerly Fuel Duty Rebate). Local authorities make their own decisions on the level of public transport revenue support and—subject to a statutory minimum—concessionary fare schemes.
	In London, the level of support for London buses has been a matter for the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) since July 2000. Prior to this date, responsibility rested with London Regional Transport (LRT). The Mayor/TfL make their own decisions about how much to spend in support of London bus services, funded by both fare income and a single block grant from Government covering all TfL responsibilities. London boroughs continue to be responsible for concessionary fare reimbursement. Bus Service Operators Grant is paid direct to the operators of London Bus Services by DfT.
	Sources of the data are the Greater London Authority, local government returns to ODPM, and DfT records of Bus Service Operators Grant. Data for 2003–04 from ODPM are budget estimates.

Cycling

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of cyclists who wore protective headgear in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by age.

David Jamieson: Cycle helmet wearing rate surveys are regularly carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory. The latest in 2002 shows:
	
		Cycle helmet wearing rate on major built up roads in 2002
		
			  Percentage 
		
		
			 All 25.1 
			 Adults 25.7 
			 Children 15.3 
		
	
	We continue to monitor wearing rates—a new survey was carried out in 2004 and it is hoped to publish the report in 2005.

Deaths (Drink-Driving)

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths associated with drink-driving were reported in Coventry last year.

David Jamieson: holding answer 7 December 2004
	Estimates of deaths associated with drink driving are not made for individual local authorities.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons a person who gets divorced and remarries must supply to the DVLA their divorce papers in addition to their marriage certificate.

David Jamieson: DVLA is required to examine original documents when it receives an application for a first photocard driving licence. Submission of a current passport in the name to be shown on the licence is the best option as this is clear proof that identity has been examined in full by the issuing authority. Where this is not possible DVLA reserves the right to call for sufficient documentation to establish a link across any, and all, change(s) of name which might have occurred. In certain cases this might involve requests for submission of divorce papers.

Engagements

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list his official engagements over the last six months; who was present at each meeting; what the (a) date and (b) location was of each meeting; what issues were discussed; and what plans he has to establish a public register of such information.

Charlotte Atkins: Ministers meet many individuals and organisations and attend many functions relating to Government business, and as part of the process of policy development. To provide the detailed information requested would incur disproportionate cost. The daily on the record briefing by the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman regularly provides details of Minister's public engagements.

Ferry Services

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which rules determine the ferry services operating within UK domestic waters for which the checking of boarding cards or tickets is mandatory or is to become mandatory.

David Jamieson: holding answer 30 November 2004
	A number of domestic ferry operators are currently regulated under the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 (AMSA). Those ferry services currently regulated under AMSA were asked in March 2003 to put in place a package of enhanced security measures, including all foot and vehicle passengers having their boarding cards or tickets checked on entry to the ship.
	My Department is currently conducting a review of the UK's domestic passenger security regime, as part of the risk assessment of all domestic maritime operations required under EU Regulation 725/2004. For some passenger operations, access control and checking boarding passes may form part of the package of security measures required of operators. However this is still under consideration as part of this review.

London Borough Councils (Transport)

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the responsibilities for transport of London borough councils; and what plans he has to alter those responsibilities.

Alistair Darling: Under the GLA Act 1999, London borough councils fulfil the following transport roles:
	(1) the highway and traffic authority for all roads, other than the roads within the GLA road network and motorways within London;
	(2) the concessionary fares scheme for the elderly and disabled; and
	(3) to implement the Mayor of London's transport strategy in their areas.
	I refer the hon. Member to my answers given to him on 10 November 2004, Official Report, column 715W, with regards to plans to change these responsibilities.

Mersey Crossing

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the timetable for the construction of the new proposed Mersey Crossing.

Charlotte Atkins: holding answer 6 December 2004
	Halton borough council recently submitted to my Department a revised appraisal of the proposed New Mersey Crossing. We expect to announce a decision on the proposed scheme during 2005. It is not possible to indicate any timetable for construction at this stage.

Northern Cyprus (Direct Air Links)

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the establishment of direct air links from the UK to Ercan airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Charlotte Atkins: After statements of support made earlier this year from both the United Nations and the European Union to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots, the Government are looking at measures they might be able to take and the possibility of direct air services between the UK and the northern part of Cyprus is one of the options being considered.

Office of Rail Regulation

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to appoint a new Chief Executive of the Office of Rail Regulation.

Alistair Darling: Under the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003, it is the responsibility of the Office of Rail Regulation to appoint a Chief Executive having consulted the Secretary of State. In October the Office appointed Keith Webb as Chief Executive, for a period of at least nine months and up to a year by agreement. The Office plans to start the process of recruiting a successor in the new year.

Passenger Safety

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve safety and security of passengers (a) on trains and (b) at railway stations.

Tony McNulty: The personal security of passengers is the responsibility of the rail industry. Re-franchising provides an opportunity for Government to buy improvements were appropriate to station and train environments, CCTV, staffing and other personal security issues. For example the recently awarded Greater Anglia franchise requires the franchisee to gain Secure Station accreditation at its worst stations and Secured Car Park awards at its worst station car parks. Key Performance Indicators (KPI) can also be built into franchise agreements in relation to station and car park security, station environment and the on train environment. If the train operator falls below a set benchmark enforcement action can be taken.
	Industry led initiatives include Network Rail youth education programmes on trespass and graffiti, Special Constables and TravelSafe Officers sponsored by train operating companies. The British Transport Police is a specialist police force for the railways, largely funded by the rail industry but also receiving grants from Government for specific projects. The force has specialist skills which benefit the travelling public, including improving the safety of passengers and tackling antisocial behaviour.

Rail Safety and Standards Board

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to report the Rail Safety and Standards Board findings on the health and safety effects on rail passengers of crowding and standing on trains.

Tony McNulty: The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) have informed me that they expect to publish the results from the first phase of their research project examining the health and safety effects of crowding in January 2005.

Recreational Boating Interests

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which recreational boating interests were consulted on the amendments to the original draft of the Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2004.

David Jamieson: Once the original draft of the Merchant Shipping (Vessel Traffic Monitoring and Reporting Requirements) Regulations 2004 had been finalised, a consultation exercise took place. Consultees for recreational boating interests included:
	British Marine Equipment Association
	British Marine Equipment Council
	British Marine Industries Federation
	International Sailing Federation
	Royal Institute of Navigation
	Royal National Lifeboat Institution
	Royal Yachting Association.

Roads (East Anglia)

Gillian Shephard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the timetable is for the consultation by a regional transport body on the development of the dualling schemes for the (a) A47 and (b) A11 in Norfolk and Suffolk;
	(2)  which regional transport body will consult on the development of the (a) A47 and (b) A11 dualling schemes in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Charlotte Atkins: The timetable and detailed arrangements for the submission of advice to the Department from the region on the prioritisation of these schemes will be announced in due course and will be subject to the outcome of the current consultation about long term funding guidelines. Copies of the consultation document "Devolving decision making: A consultation on regional funding allocations' are available in the House Libraries.
	Under the proposals in the document, the East of England Regional Assembly and the East of England Regional Development Agency would advise on the relative priority of these schemes alongside other transport proposals in the region and on the basis of long term regional funding guidelines. These bodies would be expected to consult widely within the region, including with local transport authorities, in framing their advice on priorities.

Shell Haven Port

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will announce his decision on the Shell Haven Port inquiry.

David Jamieson: A decision on the proposed port at Shell Haven will be announced when consideration of the inquiry inspector's report and all relevant issues has been completed.

South West Trains

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether the Strategic Rail Authority has determined its response to the request from South West Trains regarding a temporary derogation to allow implementation of the 12 December timetable;
	(2)  what the maximum time period is for which a temporary derogation from the passenger service requirement can be given.

Alistair Darling: The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has completed its consultation concerning proposed Passenger Service Requirement (PSR) changes and anticipates the imminent issue of a temporary derogation to South West Trains in advance of 12 December 2004 to allow implementation of the revised timetable from that date. The SRA will not normally grant temporary derogations from the Passenger Service Requirement for more than the period of operation of two consecutive timetables (timetables usually cover a period of six months). Any variation to the PSR in excess of this time would be expected to be contractualised through a formal change to the PSR, in accordance with the procedures specified in the Directions and Guidance issued to the SRA.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation;
	(2)  how many appeals were made by civil servants to the Civil Service Commissioners regarding special advisers in his Department between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004; and when each appeal was lodged.

Charlotte Atkins: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 8 December 2004, Official Report, column 578W, by the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

Vehicle Registration

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to introduce an annual charge on the owners of vehicles currently registered with a statutory off road notification.

David Jamieson: The DVLA consultation document on driver licensing and vehicle registration contains a range of proposals, including the possibility of an annual charge for maintaining the vehicle register, which also applies to those vehicles that have registered with a statutory off road notification. At this stage, no decision has yet been taken on whether a fee will be introduced and whether or what exemptions will apply.
	The consultation period only ended on 8 November and DVLA have received hundreds of responses to this. DVLA is currently in the process of evaluating these and the conclusions and a report have to go to HM Treasury and Ministers, there will then be a further consultation period before introduction of any new fee structure. DVLA is also preparing a summary of the findings from the consultation document, for those who provided a response.

Video Conferencing Units

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department and (b) each agency of the Department; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number.

Charlotte Atkins: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) DfT Central has six videoconferencing units installed in its eight HQ buildings.
	The overall coverage of DfT Central buildings is 71.4 per cent.
	The Department has an ongoing Videoconferencing project and this is due to install a new system in the Air Accident Investigation Branch, Farnborough, early in 2005 increasing the buildings covered to 87.5 per cent. Building coverage is therefore almost complete and further plans will focus upon new technology and accessibility to promote and increase usage of the systems.
	
		(b) DfT agencies
		
			  Units 
		
		
			 Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency 13 
			 Driving Standards Agency 6 
			 Highways Agency 11 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 1 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 1 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 11 
			 Traffic Area Network Offices (16)6 
		
	
	(16) ex DfT(C), now VOSA.
	The DfT agencies have concentrated their videoconferencing units at headquarters and area office level. In total there are 70 buildings classified as offices on the Agency estate (there are 1,114 sites in total) and videoconferencing is present in 49 of these, representing 70 per cent. coverage.
	There are no firm plans to increase the number of units above the existing level but as with DfT(C) the accent will be on promoting and increasing usage.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Age Discrimination

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is towards age discrimination.

Douglas Alexander: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) policy is that no staff should be exposed to unfair discrimination on any grounds. The FCO wants to draw on the very best of Britain's diverse society by creating and maintaining an inclusive environment, and drawing upon each individual's personal background and experience to help achieve its objectives.
	We are taking measures to embed diversity and ensure discrimination does not occur; these include diversity training, and the requirement to have diversity objectives for all staff.
	We have also introduced in recent years flexibility for junior/clerical grades and below to retire at age 65 and for others including middle-management grades to retire at age 63.
	We are reviewing our practices and procedures in the light of forthcoming age discrimination legislation to ensure that we will continue to follow best practice and operate within the spirit and letter of law.

Angola (Cabinda Province)

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between the Government and Angola regarding the security situation in the province of Cabinda.

Chris Mullin: I met the Angolan Deputy Prime Minister last month and the situation in Cabinda was one of the issues we discussed. British Embassy staff visit the province on a regular basis.

Anthony King

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the British Government are taking to assist Mr. Anthony King who is on trial in Malaysia.

Chris Mullin: Our Honorary Consul based in Johor Bahru, where Mr. King is detained, and our Kuala Lumpur-based Deputy High Commissioner have both visited Mr. King in detention. We are also in touch with Mr. King's wife and his lawyers about his case.

Arms Embargo (China)

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to support the retention of the EU arms embargo on China.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Guildford (Sue Doughty) on 7 December 2004, Official Report, column 476W.

British Indian Ocean Territory

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to renew the December 1966 Agreement with the United States regarding the use of the British Indian Ocean Territory for defence purposes.

Bill Rammell: Under the initial agreement of December 1966 between the UK and the US on the use of BIOT, the whole Territory is to remain available for the defence needs of the two countries for an initial period of 50 years from 1966, and thereafter for a further period of 20 years unless either party has given prior notice to terminate it. The question of renewal therefore does not arise at the present time.

Burundi

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the situation in Burundi; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Mullin: Burundi is relatively stable, although some areas remain insecure and there is a risk of a return to violence. All political parties worked for a peaceful extension of the transitional period and in November 2004 accepted the draft constitution. These are positive steps towards longer-term peace and stability. A referendum on the constitution is due to be held on 22 December. We encourage all parties in the country to continue to work constructively towards elections next year.

China/Zimbabwe

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of political and economic relations between China and Zimbabwe; and what discussions have taken place between the UK Government and China regarding the Mugabe regime.

Chris Mullin: We are concerned by reports that the Zimbabwean Government plans to import significant amounts of military equipment, including some from China. Given the deteriorating state of the economy this is yet further indication that the Zimbabwean Government has little concern for the welfare of ordinary Zimbabweans.
	We have had no recent bilateral discussions with China specifically on Zimbabwe. However, the Chinese Government is aware of our views.

Cyprus

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospect for reinstatement of discussions on the Annan Plan for Cyprus.

Denis MacShane: The Government remains strongly committed to achieving a Cyprus settlement. We continue to believe that the Annan Plan represents the only realistic basis for a comprehensive, just and lasting solution. We accept that the Greek Cypriots have genuine concerns about the plan in its current form and hope that the Greek Cypriots will come forward with proposals to move the process forward. If we believe the proposals are reasonable and have a realistic chance of success, we will encourage the UN Secretary General to re-engage and put all our resources and influence behind finding a solution on the basis of the Annan Plan that is acceptable to all sides.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) private finance initiative projects in his Department for each of the last two years.

Bill Rammell: The estimated cost of new builds, including conversion works and fit-out costs, was £20,524,000 in financial year (FY) 2002–03 and £24,508,000 in FY 2003–04. No demolition rebuilds or private finance initiative projects were undertaken during this period.

Departmental Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department.

Douglas Alexander: In 2003 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office carried out an equal pay audit. The conclusions were:
	the overall picture on average salaries within pay grades for full-time employees is within the 5 per cent. tolerance set out by the Equal Opportunities Commission;
	women do not seem to be less favourably treated than men in the way they are allocated to, or progress through, the salary scale;
	within each pay grade the distribution of performance ratings is in proportion to the general split.
	An action plan, agreed with the trade unions, was based on the findings of the audit. A copy of the action plan will be placed in the Library of the House.

Departmental Telephones

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what his policy is on the use of telephones in his Department by members of staff for their personal use relating to (a) domestic calls and (b) international calls; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what measures he has taken to ensure that telephones in his Department are not used by staff for making unauthorised personal calls to international numbers;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of unauthorised personal calls made by members of staff to (a) domestic numbers and (b) international numbers in the last year for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) policy is that officials are permitted to use official telephones for minimal personal use, and we trust our staff not to abuse that, and local management to ensure it is not abused. The costs of private use of FCO telephone systems can be recovered from staff, but actual recovery of costs is a local management decision based on cost effectiveness. No central records are kept of such recoveries across the FCO and its missions abroad. In many parts of the World, use of the official FCO Telecommunications Network is the only reliable way in which FCO staff can keep in touch with relatives and friends.

Detention (USA)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken following the increase in the number of UK citizens being detained by US authorities and subsequently released without charge since 2002.

Chris Mullin: Our statistics for the number of British nationals detained and subsequently released by the US authorities do not differentiate between those detained, charged and released and those detained and released without charge. Consequently, we cannot say if there has been an increase in the latter category.

Diplomatic Staff

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many (a) ambassadors and (b) high commissioners he has appointed since 2001; and if he will list them.

Douglas Alexander: Since June 2001, the following Heads of Mission have been appointed (146 ambassadors (HMA), 38 high commissioners (HC)):
	Graham Hand, HMA Algeria
	Graeme Loten, HMA Mali
	Philip Priestley, HMA Belize
	Basil Eastwood, HMA Switzerland
	Ric Todd, HMA Slovakia
	Emyr Jones Parry, UK Permanent Representative, NATO, Brussels
	John Sawers, HMA Egypt
	Richard Clarke, HC Tanzania
	Hamish Daniel, HMA East Timor
	Michael Smith, HMA Tajikistan
	Brian Donnelly, HC Zimbabwe
	Paul Hare, HMA Cuba
	Ron Nash, HMA Afghanistan
	Sue Hogwood, HMA Rwanda
	Norman Ling, HC Malawi
	Glynne Evans, HMA Portugal
	Paul Dimond, HMA Philippines
	David Reader, HC Swaziland
	Anne Pringle, HMA Czech Republic
	Jim Hoare, HMA North Korea
	George Edgar, HMA Macedonia
	lan Soutar, HMA Bulgaria
	Sherard Cowper-Coles, HMA Israel
	David Landsman, HMA Albania
	Robin Kealy, HMA Tunisia
	Kay Coombs, HMA Honduras
	Philip Rouse, HMA Mongolia
	Fraser Wilson, HC Seychelles
	Jeremy Hill, HMA Lithuania
	David Coates, HMA Ivory Coast
	Richard Makepeace. HMA UAE
	Richard Gozney, HC Nigeria
	Gordon Wetherell, HC Ghana
	Bob Dewar, HC Ethiopia
	Brian Stewart, HMA Algeria
	James Sharp, HMA Kazakhstan
	Christopher Prentice, HMA Jordan
	Peter Westmacott, HMA Turkey
	Brian Donaldson, HMA Madagascar
	Paul Brummell, HMA Turkmenistan
	Mike Murray, HMA Eritrea
	Tony Cantor, HMA Paraguay
	Simon Gass, HMA Greece
	Edward Chaplin, HMA Iraq
	Robin Lamb, HMA Bahrain
	Laurie Bristow, HMA Azerbaijan
	Andrew Caie, HC Brunei
	David Fall, HMA Thailand
	Eric Jenkinson, HC The Gambia
	Christopher Hum, HMA China
	James Watt, HMA Lebanon
	David Gowan, HMA Yugoslavia
	Alan Jones, HC Belize
	Peter Torry, HMA Germany
	Simon Featherstone, HMA Switzerland
	Tom Duggin, HMA Colombia
	Peter Collecott, HMA Brazil
	Judith Macgregor, HMA Slovakia
	John White, HMA Barbados
	Richard Kinchen, HMA Belgium
	Quinton Quayle, HMA Romania
	John Nichols, HMA Hungary
	John Hughes, HMA Argentina
	Derek Plumbly, HMA Egypt
	Donald Lamont, HMA Venezuela
	Bernard Whiteside, HMA Moldova
	Stephen Evans, HC Sri Lanka
	Nicholas Browne, HMA Denmark
	Peter Newall, HMA Senegal
	Peter Ford, HMA Syria
	Andrew Pocock, HC Tanzania
	Anwar Choudhury, HC Bangladesh
	Tina Redshaw, HMA East Timor
	David MacLennan, HMA Qatar
	Stewart Eldon, HMA Republic of Ireland
	Graeme Loten, HMA Tajikistan
	John Mitchiner, HC Sierra Leone
	David Merry, HC Botswana
	Steve Hiscock, HC Guyana
	Richard Lavers, HMA Guatemala
	John McManus, HMA Conakry
	Colin Budd, HMA Netherlands
	Robert Gordon, HMA Vietnam
	Rod Pullen, HMA Zimbabwe
	Simon Gass, HMA Greece
	John Dew, HMA Cuba
	Matthew Kirk, HMA Finland
	Kathryn Colvin, HMA Holy See
	Richard Lyne, HMA Solomon Islands
	Mark Lyall Grant, HC Pakistan
	Charles Humfrey, HMA Indonesia
	Rosalind Marsden, HMA Afghanistan
	Adam Wood, HC Uganda
	Keith Bloomfield, HMA Nepal
	William Patey, HMA Sudan
	Robert Brinkley, HMA Ukraine
	Jeremy Macadie, HMA Rwanda
	Peter Mathers, HC Jamaica
	Andy Sparkes, HMA Democratic Republic of Congo
	Bruce Cleghorn, HC Malaysia
	Chris Wilton, HMA Kuwait
	Bill Sinton, HMA Bolivia
	David Pearey, HC Malawi
	Richard Ralph, HMA Peru
	Linda Duffield, HMA Czech Republic
	John Buck, HMA Portugal
	Hugh Mortimer, HMA Slovenia
	John Thompson, HMA Angola
	Tim David, HC Zambia
	James Clark, HMA Luxembourg
	Stephen Wright, HMA Spain
	Peter Beckingham, HMA Philippines
	Howard Parkinson, HC Mozambique
	Frank Martin, HC Lesotho
	George Squires, HC Swaziland
	Denise Holt, HMA Mexico
	Brian Bennett, HMA Belarus
	John Everard, HMA Uruguay
	Tony Brenton, HMA Russian Federation
	Stuart Laing, HMA Oman
	Edward Clay, HC Kenya
	Rod Gemmell, HMA Bahamas
	Michael Arthur, HC India
	Lyn Parker, HMA Cyprus
	Paul Nessling, HC Tonga
	Mariot Leslie, HMA Norway
	David Reddway, HC Canada
	Jim Malcolm, HMA Panama
	John Holmes, HMA France
	Tony Godson, HC Mauritius
	David Gordon-Macleod, HC Papua New Guinea
	Ron Nash, HC Trinidad and Tobago
	David Slinn, HMA North Korea
	Richard Lewington, HMA Ecuador
	Haydon Warren-Gash, HMA Morocco
	Vicky Bowman, HMA Burma
	Alp Mehmet, HMA Iceland
	Andrew Tesoriere, HMA Latvia
	Sherard Cowper-Coles, HMA Saudi Arabia
	Ivor Roberts, HMA Italy
	Mike Gifford, HMA Yemen
	Georgina Butler, HMA Costa Rica
	Dick Wilkinson, HMA Chile
	Andy Ashcroft, HMA Dominican Republic
	lan Cliff, HMA Bosnia & Herzegovina
	Warwick Morris, HMA South Korea
	Alan Collins, HMA Singapore
	Robert Chatterton Dickson, HMA Macedonia
	Jeremy Hill, HMA Bulgaria
	Anthony Gary, HMA Sweden
	Charlie Mochan, HC Fiji
	Nigel Haywood, HMA Estonia
	Craig Murray, HMA Uzbekistan
	Donald MacLaren, HMA Georgia
	Richard Dalton, HMA Iran
	Simon McDonald, HMA Israel
	Richard Jones, HMA Albania
	Graham Fry, HMA Japan
	Anthony Layden, HMA Libya
	Alan Goulty, HMA Tunisia
	Richard Austen, HMA Mongolia
	Vincent Fean, HMA Malta
	Di Skingle, HC Seychelles
	David Reader, HMA Phnom Penh
	Matthew Rycroft, HMA Sarajevo
	Tim Simmons, HMA Ljubljana
	John Macgregor, HMA Austria
	Colin Roberts, HMA Lithuania
	Charles Crawford, HMA Poland
	David Manning, HMA USA
	Richard Fell, HC New Zealand
	Alasdair MacDermott, HC Namibia
	Richard Wildash, HC Cameroon
	Thorda Abbott-Watt, HMA Armenia
	John Ramsden, HMA Croatia
	Peter Ricketts, UK Permanent Representative to NATO, Brussels
	John Grant, UK Permanent Representative to the EU, Brussels
	John Freeman, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, Vienna
	Nick Thorne, UK Permanent Representative to the UN and other International
	Organisations, Geneva
	Emyr Jones Parry, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, New York
	David Lyscom, UK Permanent Representative to the OECD, Paris
	Stephen Howarth, UK Permanent Representative to Council of Europe, Strasbourg
	Colin Munro, Head of UK Delegation to the OSCE, Vienna
	Peter Jenkins, Permanent Representative of the UN, Vienna

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with UN Security Council members regarding the (a) size, (b) effectiveness and (c) general mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Chris Mullin: In response to the deteriorating security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in mid-2004, the Security Council met to consider how MONUC's effectiveness could be improved. On 1 October 2004 the Security Council passed a revised mandate for MONUC under Security Council resolution 1565. This authorised an additional 5,900 military and civilian personnel, as well as necessary specialist force enablers. We expect the deployment of additional personnel to improve MONUC's effectiveness, first with the deployment of two new battalions in December 2004 and then with the deployment of a Brigade force to the troubled eastern region by March 2005. We continue to take an active part in Security Council discussions to ensure best use of resources and effective implementation of Security Council resolution 1565.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the UK Government is making to the international efforts to secure peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Chris Mullin: The UK remains committed to working towards long-term peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the region. We support the Transitional Government and are in frequent and close contact with regional and international partners on ways forward for the peace process. Our Ambassador in DRC is a member of the international committee (CIAT) to support the transition process.
	The UK is one of the largest bilateral donors to the DRC, giving over £34 million in 2004–05, with a principle focus on ending conflict and the climate of impunity and supporting the transition process.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between the UK Government, the UN and the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding allegations of abuse made by refugees against UN civilian staff and soldiers.

Chris Mullin: The UK and other Security Council members urged the UN to make a quick response to allegations of sexual exploitation by MONUC personnel. The UN initiated an investigation into the allegations and called for troop contributing countries to ensure that the UN's investigations are followed up by appropriate disciplinary action. In UN Security Council resolution 1565, adopted on 1 October 2004, the Security Council voiced its concern at the allegations. It asked the Secretary-General to continue to investigate the allegations and for the UN and troop contributing countries to take appropriate disciplinary action in cases of misconduct. The Security-Council also encouraged MONUC to conduct training for its personnel, aimed at ensuring their full compliance with MONUC's code of conduct on sexual impropriety.

Embassy (Consulate Assistance)

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is made available from a British embassy or consulate to a British citizen involved (a) in an overseas court case and (b) in a serious accident overseas.

Chris Mullin: All consular and diplomatic posts maintain lists of local English-speaking lawyers, which they make available to British nationals involved in overseas court cases.
	Consular staff will also check on the progress of a case on behalf of a British national or their family, if permitted to do so by the local authorities. However, consular staff do not routinely attend court hearings, nor can they provide professional interpretation of the proceedings.
	If the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is informed that a British national is hospitalised after being involved in an accident, consular staff will aim to contact him or her within 24 hours and to visit him or her within 48 hours of making contact. They may also liaise with insurance and medivac companies on behalf of the British national.
	If a British national dies overseas, consular staff can advise on transport of the remains and personal property back to the UK, the cost of local burial and local cremation. They can also provide a list of local funeral directors. If an English-speaking firm is not available, consular staff will help relatives with the arrangements. They can also help transfer money from friends and relatives in the UK to pay any necessary costs.

Euro

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions the Minister for Europe has held with HM Treasury on the assessment of the five economic tests for entry to the euro.

Chris Mullin: None. The Government's policy on membership of the single currency is unchanged. As my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the 2004 Budget, "while the Government does not propose a euro assessment be initiated at the time of this Budget, the Treasury will again review progress at Budget time next year and report to the House", Official Report, columns 321–36.

Eurojust

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is his Department's policy that legal immunities should be extended to Eurojust.

Chris Mullin: Legal immunities in respect of Eurojust and its staff are a matter for the Dutch, as the Netherlands is the member state in which Eurojust is located.

European Police College

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what legal basis the European Police College is to be designated a body of the European Union.

Chris Mullin: Where the creation of a body is required to facilitate the attainment of the objectives set out in article 29 of the treaty then such a body may be established under the treaty. The European Police College can make a valuable contribution to the prevention and detection of crime so the establishment of the college can properly be effected by a decision under article 30(1)(c) of the EU treaty.
	The Commission issued a draft Council decision on 1 October 2004 to formally establish the European Police College as a body of the European Union. The main aim of the proposal is to allow CEPOL to receive direct funding from the Community's budget and to fall under the auspices of the Commission's staff rules.

Haiti

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government have taken to urge partners on the UN Security Council to deploy the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti at full military and civilian strength.

Bill Rammell: The Government works to support an effective UN mission in Haiti. We continue to take an active part in Security Council discussions on Haiti to ensure deployment of sufficient personnel and the best use of resources.
	There has been considerable progress since the establishment of the mission—particularly with recent troop deployments. These are detailed in the report of the UN Secretary-General of 18 November 2004 (S2004/908), copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. As of 8 November 2004, 4,493 military personnel and 978 civilian police were deployed. This is over half the maximum authorised strength of 6,700 military personnel and 1,622 civilian police. However more progress needs to be made and we are taking steps to support this. Most recently, we were active in ensuring the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1576 (29 November 2004) which urged troop and police-contributing countries to abide by the deployment schedules agreed, and noted the particular need for more French-speaking officers.
	The Government place great importance on ensuring the placement of qualified and trained personnel in the UN Mission in Haiti. In September 2004, representatives of the Metropolitan Police Service provided training assistance to police officers from China for their deployment in Haiti. The trainers focused specifically on understanding and practical application of the Rules of Engagement to ensure that the Chinese contingent would have the requisite skills for effective work on the ground. Ninety-five Chinese riot police were deployed on 17 October, representing their first ever police deployment abroad.

Haiti

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government are taking to assist the international efforts in Haiti to disarm and demobilise militia groups.

Bill Rammell: The Government place great importance on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) in all peace support operations. We worked to ensure that the mandate establishing the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) set DDR as one of the key mission priorities. Security Council resolution 1542 (30 April 2004) tasked MINUSTAH to "assist the Transitional Government, particularly the Haitian National Police, with comprehensive and sustainable DDR programmes for all armed groups, including women and children associated with such groups, as well as weapons control and public security measures.'
	This emphasis on DDR continues to be crucial. We were active in ensuring that the latest UN Security Council resolution 1576 (29 November 2004) stressed the urgency of conducting DDR and urged the Transitional Government to establish a National Commission on DDR without delay.
	The Government also supports capacity building on DDR within the UN. This year we are providing over £150,000 for a project which aims to develop a comprehensive set of common and integrated policies, guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures, as well as Headquarter and field planning mechanisms and tools for the planning and conduct of DDR in a peacekeeping context.

India/Pakistan

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to help improve relations between India and Pakistan.

Douglas Alexander: Encouraging India and Pakistan to work towards a durable settlement of all their outstanding issues, including Kashmir, remains a key priority for the UK. As a close friend of both countries, the UK warmly welcomes the ongoing detente between India and Pakistan, and applauds the countries' shared commitment to a second round of formal composite dialogue talks, which began at the end of November. The UK has regular contact with senior Indians and Pakistanis. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary met the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, in London on 20 September. The Foreign Secretary also met Pakistani Foreign Minister Kasuri on 23 September during the UN General Assembly in New York. President Musharraf met senior Members of the Government when he visited the UK on 6–7 December. The UK will continue to play a prominent part in the international efforts to encourage continued progress, taking into account the sensitivities on both these countries.

Indonesia

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to promote dialogue between the people of West Papua, and the Government of Indonesia, about the conflict in West Papua; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: We, along with other members of the international community, support Indonesia's territorial integrity, but have continued to make clear to the Indonesian Government our view that long term solutions to regional conflicts can only be achieved through negotiation and consultation with all concerned, and with strict regard for human rights.
	In October, EU ministerial representatives visited Indonesia and raised our concerns about the situation in Papua with both President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hasan Wirayuda.

Indonesia

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Indonesia concerning attacks on unarmed civilians by (a) Kopassus and (b) other Indonesian military forces in the Puncak Jaya region of West Papua; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Together with our European partners, we regularly raise our concerns about the situation in Papua. On 28 October, EU ministerial representatives visited Indonesia and met with the newly elected President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hasan Wirayuda. Both expressed their view that two of the key issues for the new Indonesia Government were a resolution to the problems in Papua and the promotion and protection of human rights throughout Indonesia. We are concerned about reports of violence in the Puncak Jaya region in recent weeks. We will monitor the situation closely.

Iranian Nuclear Programme

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the agreement made between the Foreign Ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany and Iran over the Iranian nuclear programme will be verified; what additional resources have been committed to verifying the agreement; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: Iranian compliance with the terms of the Agreement will be verified by means of comprehensive inspections carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This work will be resourced through the IAEA safeguards budget, recently enhanced at the General Conference of the IAEA.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made a statement on Iran to the House on 29 November Official Report, columns 359–360.

Iraq

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what distinction the Government make between insurgents and terrorists in Iraq; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many (a) insurgents and (b) terrorists are estimated to be operating in Iraq.

Jack Straw: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Rammell) gave on 7 December 2004, Official Report, columns 489–90W.

Mordechai Vanunu

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Israeli Government regarding Mr. Mordechai Vanunu.

Chris Mullin: We are aware that Mordechai Vanunu was re-arrested on 11 November for allegedly divulging classified information and for violating the terms of his release. Our embassy in Tel Aviv raised this issue with Israeli officials on 2 December and asked them to clarify the position of Mr. Vanunu. The Israelis confirmed that Mr. Vanunu was released (under the original terms of his release in April) after seven days under house arrest.

Niger

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the UK Government's claim that Iraq tried to obtain uranium from Niger on the UK's relations with Niger.

Chris Mullin: We are not aware of any negative impact on the UK Government's relations with Niger.

Simon Mann

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with officials in Harare concerning the imprisonment of Mr. Simon Mann and other British nationals.

Chris Mullin: None. Simon Mann is a dual British/South African national. As such, and at his request, the South African Embassy are providing consular assistance. At Mr. Mann's request, and with the approval of the Zimbabwean authorities, our consular staff in Harare have, however, visited Mr. Mann in prison and will continue to do so on a regular basis. We have one other British national currently on remand in Zimbabwe awaiting trial, to whom we are providing appropriate consular assistance.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has been informed of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers in his Department since its implementation.

Jack Straw: I am aware of no breaches of the Code of Conduct.

Special Advisers

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  if he will list the attributable interviews that his Department's special advisers gave to (a) newspapers, (b) journals, (c) books and (d) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004;
	(2)  if he will list the attributable (a) articles and (b) contributions that his Department's special advisers made to (i) newspapers, (ii) journals, (iii) books and (iv) other media in their official capacity between 31 March 2003 and 31 March 2004.

Jack Straw: None. All Special Advisers' contacts with the media are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Special Advisers.

Tibet

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Chinese Government over their treatment of the people of Tibet, with particular regard to the death sentence on Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We and EU partners have raised in a series of demarches with the Chinese authorities our serious concerns about the way in which the trial of Tenzin Deleg Rinpoche was conducted, the lack of transparency and the commutation of the death sentence. The most recent EU demarche took place on 25 November 2004. The case was also included on our list of individual cases of concern at the UK China Human Rights Dialogue round which took place on 22 November in Beijing. I raised the case bilaterally with Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui in December 2003.
	I raised Tibet issues with Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui during my visit to China in October and with Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui during my visit to China in July.

Ukraine

Llew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether Ukraine retains (a) operational nuclear weapons, (b) decommissioned nuclear weapons in storage and (c) a physical infrastructure and expert personnel to enable nuclear weapons to be manufactured.

Denis MacShane: Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Ukraine, in common with the other newly-independent states, renounced nuclear weapons and acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapons state. Nuclear warheads from the Soviet era that had been stationed in Ukraine were returned to Russia.
	A number of institutes formerly involved in the Soviet nuclear weapons programme are located in Ukraine.
	The Government has seen no information to suggest that Ukraine is not fully in compliance with its obligations under the NPT.

Visas (Pakistan)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average waiting time is to get a visitor's visa from each consulate in Pakistan.

Chris Mullin: Processing times for visitor's visa application to the UK from Islamabad (currently our only visa issuing post in Pakistan) as of 22 November 2004 are:
	Seven working days for visitors who have travelled to the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand or Australia within the last 10 years or students and businessmen on approved schemes.
	Four and a half months for first time family visitors.
	There is currently a heavy demand for applications from first time non-family visitors aged 25 and over. These applicants can apply to register details of their applications and the applicant will be contacted when we are able to deal with the application. We are currently considering how to manage the volume of applications, including setting an estimated time for clearing the backlog.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum and Immigration

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total cost has been of enforcing section 8 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 in each year since 1997.

Des Browne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate is not funded on an activity basis and therefore it is not possible to give a definitive figure for the amount of resource used to tackle illegal migrant working.

Asylum and Immigration

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals were (a) arrested and (b) removed from the country as a result of enforcement operations conducted by the Immigration Service in 2003–04.

Des Browne: The information requested is not available.
	In 2003, 19,630 persons were removed from the United Kingdom as a result of enforcement action. This includes persons departing Voluntarily' after enforcement action had been initiated against them but excludes Assisted Voluntary Returns. However, this figure is not just for those removals that resulted from enforcement operations; it also includes other enforcement activity.
	Data for 2004 are not available.

Asylum and Immigration

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the five most common nationalities were of individuals found to be working illegally in the UK in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Des Browne: This information is not currently available. We are exploring new methods of data collection for illegal working operations that will make this type of information available in the future.

Asylum and Immigration

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have taken place under section 2 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004; how many of these are being dealt with in magistrates courts; and how many have been referred to Crown courts.

Des Browne: Between 29 September 2004 and 29 November there have been 112 people charged under Section 2 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants) Act 2004.
	32 cases have been convicted in magistrates courts and have received custodial sentences.
	The remaining cases are currently going through proceedings in the magistrates courts and are being referred from there when appropriate to the Crown court.
	The figures provided are obtained from locally collated management information and may be subject to change.

Asylum and Immigration

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been dispersed to each parliamentary constituency in (a) the two years up to the end of 2003 and (b) the latest two-year period for which figures are available.

Des Browne: holding answer 29 November 2004
	Figures for asylum seekers (including dependants) in receipt of National Asylum Support Service (NASS) accommodation support in each parliamentary constituency as at the end of September 2004 are presented in the following table. Information in respect of the number of persons dispersed to an area during a given year is not available and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
	Information on the number of asylum seekers supported by NASS is published quarterly on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate website at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.
	
		Asylum seekers supported in NASS accommodation1, 2, 3, 4 by parliamentary constituency and UK Government Office Region, as at end of September 2004
		
			 Government office region Parliamentary constituency name(21) Number of asylum seekers 
		
		
			 East Midlands Derby North 135 
			  Derby South 545 
			  Gedling 20 
			  Leicester East 155 
			  Leicester South 225 
			  Leicester West 450 
			  Lincoln 20 
			  Loughborough 15 
			  Northampton North 5 
			  Northampton South * 
			  Nottingham East 710 
			  Nottingham North 60 
			  Nottingham South 365 
			  Rushcliffe 5 
			  South Derbyshire 5 
			  Sub-total 2,715 
			
			 East of England Bedford 5 
			  Central Suffolk and North Ipswich * 
			  Epping Forest 15 
			  Ipswich 55 
			  Luton North * 
			  Luton South 10 
			  North West Cambridgeshire 95 
			  Norwich North 60 
			  Norwich South 45 
			  Peterborough 255 
			  Rochford and Southend East 10 
			  Southend West 5 
			  Stevenage * 
			  Sub-total 565 
			 Northern Belfast North 15 
			 Ireland Belfast South 50 
			  Belfast West 30 
			  East Londonderry * 
			  Newry & Armagh * 
			  Sub-total 100 
			
			 London Barking 25 
			  Beckenham 10 
			  Bethnal Green and Bow * 
			  Bexleyheath and Crayford 5 
			  Brent East 5 
			  Brent North 10 
			  Brent South 10 
			  Brentford and Isleworth * 
			  Camberwell and Peckham 10 
			  Chingford and Woodford Green 45 
			  Chipping Barnet 10 
			  Croydon Central 40 
			  Croydon North 25 
			  Croydon South 5 
			  Dagenham 10 
			  Dulwich and West Norwood 10 
			  Ealing North 25 
			  Ealing, Acton and Shepherd's Bush 20 
			  Ealing Southall 25 
			  East Ham 30 
			  Edmonton 100 
			  Eltham * 
			  Enfield North 65 
			  Enfield Southgate 50 
			  Erith and Thamesmead * 
			  Feltham and Heston 10 
			  Finchley and Golders Green 20 
			  Greenwich and Woolwich 5 
			  Hackney North and Stoke Newington 30 
			  Hackney South and Shoreditch 50 
			  Hammersmith and Fulham 15 
			  Hampstead and Highgate 10 
			  Harrow East 15 
			  Harrow West 10 
			  Hayes and Harlington 10 
			  Hendon 15 
			  Holborn and St. Pancras 5 
			  Hornsey and Wood Green 95 
			  Ilford North 10 
			  Ilford South 35 
			  Islington North 30 
			  Islington South and Finsbury 40 
			  Kingston and Surbiton 10 
			  Lewisham East 10 
			  Lewisham West 20 
			  Lewisham Deptford 10 
			  Leyton and Wanstead 10 
			  Mitcham and Morden 5 
			  North Southwark and Bermondsey 15 
			  Old Bexley and Sidcup 5 
			  Poplar and Canning Town 15 
			  Regent's Park and North Kensington 15 
			  Richmond Park 5 
			  Streatham 15 
			  Sutton and Cheam 5 
			  Tooting 5 
			  Tottenham 270 
			  Twickenham 5 
			  Upminster 5 
			  Uxbridge 5 
			  Vauxhall 20 
			  Walthamstow 40 
			  West Ham 40 
			  Sub-total 1,475 
			
			 North East Darlington 30 
			  Gateshead East and Washington West 75 
			  Hartlepool 30 
			  Houghton and Washington East 120 
			  Jarrow 25 
			  Middlesbrough 595 
			  Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 75 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne Central 460 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend 470 
			  Newcastle upon Tyne North 155 
			  North Tyneside 150 
			  Redcar 255 
			  South Shields 120 
			  Stockton North 210 
			  Stockton South 180 
			  Sunderland North 130 
			  Sunderland South 240 
			  Tyne Bridge 775 
			  Tynemouth 65 
			  Sub-total 4,165 
			
			 North West Altrincham and Sale West 5 
			  Ashton under Lyne 245 
			  Blackburn 235 
			  Bolton North East 225 
			  Bolton South East 400 
			  Bolton West 60 
			  Bootle 55 
			  Burnley 30 
			  Bury North 320 
			  Bury South 120 
			  Cheadle 5 
			  Crewe and Nantwich 10 
			  Denton and Reddish 75 
			  Eccles 140 
			  Hazel Grove 30 
			  Heywood and Middleton 15 
			  Hyndburn * 
			  Leigh 200 
			  Liverpool Garston 10 
			  Liverpool Riverside 340 
			  Liverpool Walton 160 
			  Liverpool Wavertree 350 
			  Liverpool West Derby 70 
			  Makerfield 160 
			  Manchester Central 520 
			  Manchester Blackley 150 
			  Manchester Gorton 450 
			  Manchester Withington 35 
			  Oldham East and Saddleworth 150 
			  Oldham West and Royton 310 
			  Pendle 20 
			  Preston * 
			  Rochdale 410 
			  Rossendale and Darwen 85 
			  Salford 705 
			  Stalybridge and Hyde 45 
			  Stockport 115 
			  Stretford and Urmston 85 
			  Wigan 210 
			  Worsley 105 
			  Wythenshawe and Sale East 65 
			  Sub-total 6,720 
			
			 Scotland Glasgow Anniesland 470 
			  Glasgow Baillieston 145 
			  Glasgow Cathcart 270 
			  Glasgow Govan 1,105 
			  Glasgow Kelvin 540 
			  Glasgow Maryhill 180 
			  Glasgow Pollok 255 
			  Glasgow Rutherglen 195 
			  Glasgow Shettleston 380 
			  Glasgow Springburn 2,120 
			  Sub-total 5,665 
			
			 South East Brighton Pavilion 35 
			  Dartford 5 
			  Hastings and Rye 215 
			  Hove 40 
			  Medway 5 
			  North East Milton Keynes * 
			  Oxford East 15 
			  Portsmouth North 135 
			  Portsmouth South 255 
			  Slough 10 
			  Southampton Itchen * 
			  Southampton Test * 
			  Sub-total 720 
			
			 South West Bristol East 225 
			  Bristol North West 40 
			  Bristol South 25 
			  Bristol West 65 
			  Exeter 30 
			  Gloucester 85 
			  Kingswood 85 
			  North Swindon 40 
			  Plymouth Devonport 50 
			  Plymouth Sutton 340 
			  South Dorset * 
			  South Swindon 75 
			  Sub-total 1,060 
			
			 Wales Cardiff Central 405 
			  Cardiff North 60 
			  Cardiff South and Penarth 365 
			  Cardiff West 160 
			  Clwyd South 10 
			  Gower 15 
			  Newport East 170 
			  Newport West 155 
			  Swansea East 570 
			  Swansea West 320 
			  Wrexham 45 
			  Sub-total 2,280 
			
			 West Midlands Aldridge-Brownhills 130 
			  Birmingham Edgbaston 200 
			  Birmingham Erdington 185 
			  Birmingham Hall Green 15 
			  Birmingham Hodge Hill 50 
			  Birmingham Ladywood 1,140 
			  Birmingham Northfield 5 
			  Birmingham Perry Barr 365 
			  Birmingham Selly Oak 110 
			  Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath 315 
			  Birmingham Yardley 25 
			  Coventry North East 235 
			  Coventry North West 85 
			  Coventry South 460 
			  Dudley North 265 
			  Dudley South 225 
			  Halesowen and Rowley Regis 110 
			  Meriden 95 
			  Mid Worcestershire 5 
			  Newcastle-under-Lyme 35 
			  Nuneaton 5 
			  Solihull 5 
			  Stoke-on-Trent Central 380 
			  Stoke-on-Trent North 235 
			  Stoke-on-Trent South 110 
			  Stourbridge 95 
			  Walsall North 135 
			  Walsall South 250 
			  Warley 510 
			  West Bromwich East 160 
			  West Bromwich West 90 
			  Wolverhampton North East 415 
			  Wolverhampton South East 110 
			  Wolverhampton South West 255 
			  Sub-total 6,805 
			
			 Yorkshire and Barnsley Central 320 
			 The Humber Barnsley East and Mexborough 80 
			  Barnsley West and Penistone 130 
			  Batley and Spen 15 
			  Bradford North 230 
			  Bradford South 175 
			  Bradford West 790 
			  City of York 5 
			  Colne Valley 170 
			  Dewsbury 105 
			  Don Valley 40 
			  Doncaster Central 855 
			  Doncaster North 70 
			  Great Grimsby 155 
			  Halifax 260 
			  Hemsworth 35 
			  Huddersfield 655 
			  Keighley 5 
			  Kingston upon Hull East 40 
			  Kingston upon Hull North 225 
			  Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle 360 
			  Leeds Central 835 
			  Leeds East 600 
			  Leeds North East 335 
			  Leeds North West 20 
			  Leeds West 260 
			  Morley and Rothwell 5 
			  Normanton 65 
			  Pontefract and Castleford 75 
			  Pudsey * 
			  Rother Valley 25 
			  Rotherham 570 
			  Sheffield Central 660 
			  Sheffield Attercliffe 175 
			  Sheffield Brightside 290 
			  Sheffield Heeley 155 
			  Sheffield Hillsborough 25 
			  Shipley 70 
			  Wakefield 240 
			  Wentworth 80 
			  Sub-total 9,210 
			
			  Total 41,475 
		
	
	(17) Figures have been rounded to nearest 5, with "*' = 1 or 2, and are provisional.
	(18) Asylum seekers that have been allocated NASS accommodation and have been confirmed as having arrived in that accommodation
	(19) Excludes unaccompanied asylum seeking children supported by local authorities, estimated at around 7,000 in May 2004. Excludes cases that pre-date the establishment of NASS in April 2000, administered under arrangements with local authorities, estimated at up to 16,000 cases in May 2004 (the number of such cases is falling).
	(20) Excludes cases where support has been ceased by the National Asylum Support Service.
	(21) Only those parliamentary constituencies where NASS dispersed or disbenefitted cases are resident are shown.

Asylum and Immigration

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed asylum seekers have had their benefits withdrawn under section 9 of the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc.) Act 2004.

Des Browne: None. Section 9 came into force only on 1 December 2004, and is being piloted in a limited number of areas. Failed asylum seeking families subject to the provision will be given three written warnings that their support may be terminated if they fail without reasonable excuse to take reasonable steps to leave the United Kingdom voluntarily, or place themselves in a position in which they can leave the United Kingdom voluntarily. They also have the opportunity to attend an interview. This process takes a number of weeks before a decision is made on whether support should be withdrawn.

Asylum Seekers (European Pilot Projects)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the meeting of Ministers of the member states of the European Union and Community to consider the establishment of pilot projects to receive those wishing to seek asylum within the Union, what the origin was of the document containing those proposals; who was responsible for producing that document; what the treaty bases were for those proposals; which member states supported the proposal in principle pending administrative agreement; what views were presented to meetings by representatives of the United Kingdom; who those representatives were; what consultations in (a) private and (b) public were held in the UK prior to the response made on behalf of the UK; and what progress has been made with the project.

Des Browne: In June 2003 the European Commission published a Communication (COM(2003)315 final) "Towards more accessible, equitable and managed asylum systems". That discussion document examined possible policy objectives and approaches for reformed asylum systems, having regard to concerns expressed by the UK about the deficiencies of the international protection system for refugees. The Thessaloniki European Council in June, 2003 took note of the Communication and invited the Commission to present a further report, by June 2004, suggesting measures to ensure more orderly and managed entry in the EU of persons in need of international protection and to enhance the protection capacity in the regions of origin.
	On 4 June this year the Commission presented its further Communication "On the managed entry in the EU of persons in need of international protection and the enhancement of the protection capacity of the regions of origin—Improving access to durable solutions" (COM(2004)410 final). This contains two main recommendations. Firstly, the Commission advocates the development—in close co-operation with UNHCR and in partnership with the third countries concerned—of "flexible and situation specific EU Regional Protection Programmes", designed to address protection issues in third countries in the regions of origin. Secondly, the Commission proposes the development of a EU Resettlement Scheme. This would enable member states who wished to, to join forces in receiving, direct from regions of origin, persons found to be in need of international protection. The Communication itself has no legal base. The proposed EU Resettlement Scheme would be based upon Article 63(2)(b) of the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC).
	Representatives of EU member states have discussed the Commission's Communication in various fora at both official and ministerial level (including the Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Strategic Committee on Immigration Frontiers and Asylum, the High Level Working Group and the Development Working Group). These discussions showed widespread support for Regional Protection Programmes among member states although an EU Resettlement Scheme is unlikely to be acceptable to some. The UK welcomed the Commission's Communication and supported the broad purpose of its proposals, while making it clear that national Governments of participating member states must retain final control of the numbers and origins of any refugees accepted in their territory.
	EU Foreign Ministers adopted conclusions at the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 2 November which require the Commission to present to the Council an action plan for one or more pilot Regional Protection Programme(s), and a proposal for a possible resettlement scheme, by July 2005. Furthermore, the European Council at its meeting of 5 November agreed the Hague Programme setting out a five-year work programme for JHA. This called on the Commission to develop EU Regional Protection Programmes in partnership with the third countries concerned and in close co-operation with the UNHCR.

British Nationality

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why British nationality is not granted to an individual born in Britain to a British father if the individual's mother is not a British national; if he will bring forward proposals to allow maternal and paternal nationality to be of equal weight when determining the nationality of a child born in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: British citizenship is acquired automatically, at birth, by a person born in the United Kingdom if either his mother or (providing the child is legitimate) his father was at the time of the birth either a British citizen or settled in the United Kingdom. Where, owing to illegitimacy, British citizenship is not acquired automatically it may be acquired subsequent to birth by registration on application to the Secretary of State. Such registration is discretionary, but the current policy is to grant it where the father is a British citizen, there is satisfactory evidence of paternity and both parents consent. Section 9 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 will remove the distinction in British nationality law between legitimate and illegitimate children but will not take effect until regulations concerning proof of paternity are in place.

Citizenship Ceremony

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average waiting time is between notification of British citizenship being conferred and the confirmation of citizenship ceremony in (a) England and (b) Dorset.

Des Browne: The information requested is not readily available. However, each citizenship ceremony should be conducted within three months of the decision to grant the application in principle.

Community Safety/Support Officers

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what applications he has received from West Midlands Police funds for community safety officers in (a) 2004–05, (b) 2005–06 and (c) 2006–07.

Hazel Blears: For 2004–05 West Midlands Police applied for Home Office funding for 50 per cent. of salary and direct on-costs for 40 Community Support Officers. The force were allocated funding for 33 posts under this round.
	For 2005–06 the force applied for funding for 100 per cent. of salary and direct on costs up to £24,500 for each of 165 full-time equivalent Community Support Officers under the first round of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund. The force were allocated 81 posts under this round.
	Allocations in both rounds were scaled back because the overall demand from forces exceeded the funds available.

Community Safety/Support Officers

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account the maximum funded cost for a community support officer takes of higher police pay in London.

Hazel Blears: Community Support Officers (CSOs) are employed by police authorities and their terms and conditions of employment are determined locally, not by the Home Office. The maximum available under the first round of the Neighbourhood Policing Fund (NPF) was £24,500 per CSO post for salary related costs. In addition a one-off payment was made available of £2,500 per post towards training and additional costs.
	The first round of NPF was massively oversubscribed and bids from forces had to be scaled down considerably. The Metropolitan police were allocated 250 posts under this round.

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Aylesbury (reference B2050/4) of 27 September about the surety lodged by Mr M. A. of Aylesbury (case reference A1022329).

Des Browne: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The Department sent a holding reply to the hon. Member on 29 November. The circumstances of the case are currently being examined and a more detailed reply will be sent within two weeks.

Correspondence

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department will reply to the letter of 6 August to the Minister of State for Immigration from the hon. Member for Aylesbury (reference PO9072/4) about Mr A. R. of Aylesbury (references R1055140/2 and PO4967/03).

Des Browne: holding answer 29 November 2004
	My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Fiona Mactaggart) wrote to the hon. Member on 25 November.

Dungavel Detention Centre

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reopen Dungavel Detention Centre to families; and whether a date has been set for such a reopening.

Des Browne: Following the disturbance at Harmondsworth in July it was necessary, for a short time, to use the family accommodation at Dungavel for single male detainees.
	The family accommodation at Dungavel is no longer being used for this purpose and families are being detained there as appropriate.

EC Directive 2004/81

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which EU member states have opted out of EC Directive 2004/81.

Des Browne: holding answer 25 November 2004
	The United Kingdom, together with Ireland and Denmark chose not to opt into EC Directive 2004/81. This decision was subject of a cross Whitehall review following the adoption of the directive in April 2004. A further review is planned once reliable data on the effects of the directive become available.

Gurkhas

Ann Widdecombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Gurkhas who were discharged from the British Army before 1 July 1997 have applied for settlement in the UK.

Des Browne: holding answer 29 November 2004
	This information is not recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, under the new HM Forces policy any application for settlement received from a Gurkha who was discharged from the British Army before 1 July 1997 will be given sympathetic consideration as outlined in my letter to the right hon. Member dated 18 October.

Identity Cards

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the implications of the introduction of compulsory identity cards for his Department.

Des Browne: holding answer 2 December 2004
	A Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) for the Identity Cards Bill was published on 29 November. The RIA set out a cost-benefit analysis of the scheme. The benefits described in the RIA fall into the following categories: more efficient processes, removing duplication of functions, reduced fraud, more convenient access to services, improved enforcement of immigration controls, enhanced ability to counter terrorism and organised crime, reduced fear of crime and ensuring that the UK can continue to benefit from free movement between nations.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the likely unit cost of a biometric identity card reader;
	(2)  if he will publish the cost estimates for identity card readers which have been included in the work with stakeholders on benefits cited on page 25 of his Department's response to the Home Affairs Committee's Fourth Report of 2003–04.

Des Browne: Paragraph 23 of the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published alongside the Identity Cards Bill, sets out that the current working assumption is that the cost of card readers would fall within a range of £250-£750, depending on their level of sophistication and performance.
	The ability of the reader to check a biometric as well as the card in high risk, high value transactions would put the range of costs for these type of readers towards the higher end of £250-£750 range. Integrated with other security and verification requirements, this cost could fall substantially over the years ahead.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the potential savings in reduced identity fraud costs as a result of the identity cards scheme.

Des Browne: The extent of identity fraud costs is included in section 24(iii) of the regulatory impact assessment which was published when the Identity Cards Bill was introduced on 29 November. It states that:
	"A Cabinet Office study published in 2002 estimated the cost of identity fraud in the UK to be £1.3 billion p.a. split equally between the public and private sectors."
	We are working with organisations in both the public and private sectors to understand in detail how the introduction of the identity cards scheme will reduce identity fraud.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has commissioned into the benefits of identity cards in reducing terrorism.

Des Browne: The Regulatory Impact Assessment, published alongside the Identity Cards Bill on 29 November sets out in detail the benefits of identity cards in countering terrorism.
	Officials have worked closely with the security and intelligence agencies and law enforcement agencies in drawing up this assessment. At least one third of terrorist suspects are known to have used more than one identity either for facilitation or planning the commission of terrorist acts.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the employers and other interested groups being consulted about the design of the identity cards verification service.

Des Browne: Home Office officials have had high level discussions relating to verification design with various employer organisations including the Confederation of British Industry, the Inland Revenue payroll group/the Small Business Service and other representative trade bodies in the financial services and transport sectors. Home Office officials are also working with private sector organisations to assess the demand for a user group of private sector organisations which will provide co-ordinated input to the design and development of the verification service.

Identity Cards

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the annual £85 million cost of the identity cards scheme announced on 2 November includes the cost of adding visual verification features to the face of the card; and what visual verification options are under consideration.

Des Browne: The £85 million cost includes personalising the card with a photograph and the provision of security features to minimise the risk of forgery.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports the Immigration and Nationality Directorate has lost in each of the last five years.

Des Browne: Statistics on the number of letters issued for passports reported lost or mislaid in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) would be available only at disproportionate cost.
	However, in General Group there were 53 issued from April 2001 to March 2002; 335 issued from April 2002 to March 2003; 469 issued from April 2003 to March 2004; and 162 issued from April 2004 to September 2004. This should be balanced against the number of decisions made in the same period which were 380,000 (0.01 per cent.); 403,000 (0.08 per cent.); 534,000 (0.08 per cent.); and 250,000 (0.06 per cent.) respectively.

Immigration Controls

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been stopped from entering the UK by British customs officials working at the Eurostar rail terminus at the Gare du Nord, Paris, in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: The statistics requested are not available at this point due to operational changes that have recently occurred at Waterloo, the office that previously handled Paris statistics. Once my officials have completed their reconciliation work I will write to you to advise you of the numbers.

Immigration Controls

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in which European Union member states British immigration officers inspect the passports of passengers seeking to travel to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: UK immigration officers are deployed to the Eurostar Terminal in Brussels, Belgium and in France at both ferry ports and channel tunnel ports.
	Channel Tunnel Ferry Ports
	Coquelles
	Calais Frethun
	Lille
	Paris
	Ferry Ports
	Calais Ferryport
	Calais Hoverport
	Boulogne
	Dunkerque
	At all these locations Immigration Officers mount a full immigration control (which includes the inspection of all passports) for those passengers seeking to travel to the UK.

Migrant Workers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the National Association of Citizen Advice Bureaux on advice to migrant workers.

Des Browne: Home Office officials have frequent contact on a range of immigration issues with the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB), who are represented on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's main stakeholder discussion group, the Immigration and Nationality Directorate User Panel which meets every six months.
	Our records also indicate that discussions took place between Work Permits UK (WPUK) and NACAB in relation to a leaflet produced for overseas nationals in summer 2003. The leaflet entitled "Useful Information for the Work Permit holder", provided information to foreign nationals working in the UK who may be at risk of exploitation. The leaflet was translated into seven languages: Chinese, Punjabi, Gujarati, Urdu, Bengali and Hindi. NACAB endorsed WPUK's leaflet, and CAB offices throughout the UK were supplied with English versions and the translated versions were made available on request.

Office of Government Commerce

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which stages of the Office of Government Commerce Gateway process the identity cards project has passed through.

Des Browne: The Office of Government Commerce completed a Gateway Zero Review of the Identity Cards Programme in January 2004.

Passport Renewal (Charges)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what charges are made to Commonwealth citizens who wish to renew their passports to allow continued residence in the UK; whether these charges apply to residents whose country of birth is a member of the EU; and if he will make a statement.

Des Browne: Commonwealth and other foreign nationals (non-EEA) who wish to renew their passports and currently have indefinite leave to remain endorsed in their previous passport should apply for a No Time Limit endorsement to be placed in their new passport.
	No Time Limit applications currently attract a charge of £155 for postal applications and £250 for Premium, same day, service at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's (IND) Public Enquiry Offices.
	Those who wish to transfer limited leave to remain to a new passport can currently do so free of charge at an IND Public Enquiry Office, by making a Transfer of Condition application.
	The fee levels for leave to remain applications are currently under review and IND have been undertaking a public consultation on various fee ranges. The consultation is due to close on 8 December 2004. IND aim to introduce the revised fees on 1 April 2005. This is likely to include a charge for Transfer of Conditions.
	Charges for leave to remain applications do not apply to residents whose country of birth is a member of the EU.

Passports

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many complaints have been received of passports being delivered to the wrong address when despatched from passport offices within the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many passports have been reported as missing within the last 12 months after being despatched from passport offices.

Des Browne: holding answer 1 December 2004
	Since 9 February 2004, when secure delivery was introduced, the UK Passport Service (UKPS) have received 538 complaints about passports being delivered to an incorrect address. These have been, or are being, investigated by UKPS or SMS who are the secure delivery provider.
	The number of passports delivered to the wrong address is 0.01 per cent. of the total number of passports delivered by SMS.
	Over the same period 675 UK passports have been reported as missing after being despatched from UKPS premises. Of these 210 have been confirmed as lost or stolen, 87 have been recovered and the remaining 478 are under investigation. In comparison in the final year of the Royal Mail contract 3,593 passports were reported lost or stolen.

Police Advice Bodies

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total budget is in this financial year for (a) the National Centre for Policing Excellence, (b) the National Policing Improvement Agency, (c) the Police Science and Technology Unit, (d) Police Powers and Leadership Unit and (e) Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in 2004–05; what the budget for equivalent services was in 1997; and how many staff are employed by each body.

Hazel Blears: There have been a number of changes in police scientific and technological services in recent years, which mean that the organisations with policy and operational responsibility for them are not the same as those which existed in 1997, nor do current functions entirely match those carried out in 1997.
	The National Centre for Policing Excellence (NCPE) was established in April 2003. It employs 361 staff and has a total budget of £15.5 million of which £5.5million is funded by the Home Office directly. CENTREX, the national police training provider, of which the NCPE is a directorate, provides the balance of NCPE funding.
	The National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) will be established by the end of 2006–07. The Agency will rationalise the existing national bodies concerned with delivering improved policing outcomes. The NPIA will be cost neutral and it is intended that the streamlined arrangements will reduce the resources currently applied to the bodies that it will replace.
	The Police Science and Technology Unit (PSTU) no longer exists and budget information for 1997 is not readily available.
	The Police Leadership and Powers Unit was established in June 2000. It currently has a budget of £125 million and employs 85 staff.
	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary currently employs 128 staff and has a budget in 2004–05 of £9.2 million.
	Expenditure by the Inspectorate in 1997–98 was £5.1 million.

Police Officers' Pension Scheme

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many widows of police officers who are beneficiaries of the police officers' pension scheme lost their pension rights as a result of cohabitation or remarriage in each of the last three years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of restoring pension rights to these widows;.
	(2)  how many widows of police officers who lost their police officer pension scheme benefits as a result of remarriage or cohabitation in the last three years have subsequently (a) had their pensions restored on compassionate grounds and (b) had their pensions rights restored following the ending of the second marriage or cohabitation;.

Hazel Blears: This information for all forces in England and Wales is not
	held centrally.

Ports

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which British shipping ports have the use of (a) stationary lorry scanning equipment and (b) mobile scanning equipment.

Des Browne: The United Kingdom Immigration Service (UKIS) deploys fixed new detection technology, such as Heartbeat Detection equipment at the juxtaposed controls in France, and it is loaned to the port authorities at Calais, Coquelles, Oostende, and Vlissingen. UKIS do not currently operate fixed equipment at UK ports.
	The United Kingdom Immigration Service operates mobile VACIS Gamma ray scanning unit, as a joint operation with Her Majesty's Customs and Excise (HMC and E), which is deployed to support intelligence-led freight search operations.
	HMC and E deploy mobile scanning equipment at various ports throughout the UK.

Yarls Wood

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, to which individuals the Home Office sent advance copies of the Prisons Service Ombudsman's Report on the disturbance and fire at the Yarls Wood Removal Centre; and when advance copies were sent out.

Des Browne: holding answer 2 December 2004
	Following discussion with Mr Shaw, advance copies were sent to all parties immediately affected by the report. The advance copies were sent shortly before the report's publication.

Yarls Wood

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to implement the recommendations in the report by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman into the disturbance and fire at the Yarls Wood Removal Centre.

Des Browne: Stephen Shaw makes 76 recommendations, the majority of which we accept and have either already been implemented (26), or are being reviewed regarding the practicalities of introduction. Following the review of the recommendations we will produce an action plan that will be published in early 2005.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Departmental Mobile Phones

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many departmental mobile telephones were used by Ministers, Special Advisers and officials in the Department in each year since 1997; at what cost; how many such telephones were lost or stolen in each year since 1997; and what the replacement costs were in each case.

David Lammy: holding answer 6 December 2004
	My department has provided the following number of mobile phones to (a) Ministers and Special Advisers and (b) officials in the Department since 1997:
	
		Number
		
			  (a) (b) 
		
		
			 1997–98 n/a — 
			 1998–99 n/a — 
			 1999–2000 9 1486 
			 2000–01 9 1346 
			 2001–02 9 1497 
			 2002–03 9 1780 
			 2003–04 10 1971 
			 2004- September 2004 10 2750 
		
	
	Figures from 1997 to March 1999 cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The "cost' of these mobile phones has been interpreted to mean, the cost of the equipment, the line rental and the call costs and is:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98 n/a 
			 1998–99 n/a 
			 1999–2000 223,000.00 
			 2000–01 202,000.00 
			 2001–02 224,626.00 
			 2002–03 266,969.00 
			 2003–04 295,741.00 
			 2004-September 2004 185,000.00 
		
	
	During the period 1999 to 2004, four phones have been reported lost and one phone reported stolen from the HQ Estate. The only cost to the Department has been for the replacement handsets and this equates to £250.00 in total. Due to the fact that on the wider Court Service and PGO estates, the phones are allocated to individual cost centres, it would incur a disproportionate cost to try obtain this information.

Directgov

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  which Government Departments are (a) covered by and (b) excluded from the Directgov website;
	(2)  how much of the Department's budget (a) was spent on the launch of the Directgov website and (b) is incurred in Directgov's running costs; and how many hits it has received since its launch.

Ruth Kelly: I have been asked to reply.
	Directgov is the Government's new primary digital service to provide citizens access to the full range of Government services. Launched in April 2004 it continues to expand its range of citizen focused content with contributions in its latest release from Cabinet Office, Department of Health, Department for Education and Skills, Department for Work and Pensions, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (including local authorities), Department for Transport, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Inland Revenue, Home Office, Environmental Agency, Office of Fair Trading, Land Registry, Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Electoral Commission, H.M. Customs and Excise, Department for Constitutional Affairs, Department for Trade and Industry, and Financial Services Authority. This list is expected to expand with all Government Departments encouraged to present their citizen facing information and services through Directgov.
	Directgov was initially delivered as an integrated programme with UK Online from an existing operational budget of £4.4million in 2003–04. Annual running costs for this financial year are not yet available. Since Directgov's launch in April 2004 it has recorded over 5.2 million visits to the website, increasing from 420,000 visits in May to over 900,000 visits during November.

Family Division

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average length of time was between applications for hearings in the Principal Registry of the Family Division and the hearings themselves between 1 November and 3 December; and which cases were given return dates of less than 21 days.

Christopher Leslie: The Principal Registry of the Family Division issued 2,521 applications between the 1 November and 3 December. Cases were listed individually with reference to the specific circumstances involved. Information about the average length of time between application being made and the hearing is not collected and is therefore not available.

Family Division

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many applications for adjournment were made in the Principal Registry of the Family Division in London between 18 November and 1 December; what the average length of time was between application and hearing during that period; and which cases were heard within fewer than seven days.

Christopher Leslie: Appeals to the High Court relating to applications for adjournment in the Family Division are relatively rare. Between the 18 November and 3 December there was one such appeal, this appeal was heard in fewer than 14 days.

Family Division

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many appeals were made to the High Court relating to applications for adjournment in the Family Division between 18 November and 3 December; what the average length of time was between application and hearing; and which appeals were heard in fewer than 14 days.

Christopher Leslie: Detailed information relating to the specific nature of applications made to the Principal Registry of the Family Division is not collected outside of general business headings i.e. Ancillary Relief—211; Applications for Decree Nisi listed—658. Adjournments are not classified as a business heading as they can apply across all business areas. It is therefore not possible to provide information about the average length of time between application and hearing for types of application, between specific dates, or at all.

FOI (Ministerial Committee)

Norman Baker: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on the work programme of the Ministerial Committee on Freedom of Information (MSC28).

Christopher Leslie: It is established practice, as reflected in the Ministerial Code and Under Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of the Cabinet and its committees.
	However in a previous written answer on 8 September 2004 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister noted that the Ministerial Committee on Freedom of Information (MISC28) was announced to Parliament on Thursday 27 May 2004. The Committee was established to oversee the Government's strategy on Freedom of Information, particularly as Government Departments make final preparations for the full implementation of the Freedom of Information Act on 1 January 2005.
	As the Prime Minister announced to Parliament on 18 November 2004, Official Report, column 105WS the current list of Cabinet committees, their membership and terms of reference are available in the Libraries of both Houses and on the Cabinet Office website. The terms of reference of the Ministerial Committee on Freedom of Information (MISC 28) are:
	"To oversee the Government's strategy on freedom of Information and implementation of the Freedom of Information 2000."

Hearing Technology (XHIBIT)

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what impact the Exchanging Hearing Information by Internet Technology scheme has had on Crown court trials and witness waiting times since its introduction;
	(2)  what the cost is of implementation of the advance pilot of XHIBIT which was run at Snaresbrook Crown court;
	(3)  what plans he has to roll out the advance pilot of XHIBIT run at Snaresbrook Crown court to the rest of England;

Christopher Leslie: The Snaresbrook XHIBIT (Exchanging Hearing Information BY Internet Technology) pilot evaluation report has identified the following major impacts on Crown court trials:
	Faster updating of the Police National Computer (PNC).
	More efficient distribution of information across the Criminal Justice System.
	Reduction in solicitor waiting times.
	Improved Victim and Witness experience, including:
	A significant reduction in the amount of time spent by Police Officers waiting to give evidence (valued nationally at £15 million per annum);
	witnesses being more likely to continue to attend court;
	witnesses being able to manage their expectations of waiting times;
	The cost of the Snaresbrook pilot has been £10.5 million, over three years (2002–03; 2003–04; 2004–05).
	The Snaresbrook Pilot has been completed and the business case has been accepted. The formal approval to proceed to national rollout of XHIBIT was given on 10 November 2004 by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform Operational Board. The evaluation identified the potential to realise benefits in excess of £50 million per annum across the Criminal Justice System.
	In addition, benefits estimated to be a further £96 million per annum are available to the wider UK economy as a result of reductions in the overall cost of crime.
	XHIBIT is now being rolled out in every Crown court within the 42 criminal justice areas that make up England and Wales.
	National rollout will be completed in spring 2006.

Legal Aid (ASBOs)

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if it is his policy to make legal aid available to youths who seek to challenge anti-social behaviour orders; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: Legal aid is already available for youths both to resist the application to make an order and to appeal an order once made.
	It is our intention to streamline the use of Legal Aid in anti-social behaviour (ASBOS) cases. We intend to work with the Home Office and Legal Services Commission to introduce, by the end of 2005, a system of fixed fees for the public funding of defence solicitors in cases involving the application for anti-social behaviour orders. A fixed fee scheme will ensure swifter justice without compromising fairness. But it will also discourage the small minority who use unnecessary delaying tactics and subsequently deny the deterrence and protection that ASBO's give to our communities.
	More generally, my Department has responded to concern about anti-social behaviour by establishing ASB Response Courts. These courts can make a difference at a local level by ensuring ASB cases are dealt with justly—but expeditiously—with awareness of what matters to local communities—while working in close co-operation with other local partners.

Legal Aid (ASBOs)

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many people have applied for legal aid in order to challenge anti-social behaviour orders; and how many have been granted legal aid.

David Lammy: The information requested cannot be provided as the number of applications and grants cannot be readily identified from records held by the Legal Services Commission.

Prison Video Links

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many prisoners have attended court by video conferencing from prison since the introduction of Prison Video Links; how many court rooms have video link facilities; and what cost savings have been made since Prison Video Link was introduced.

Christopher Leslie: Since December 2002, 64,944 court hearings have taken place over video links from prisons. There are currently 180 Video Courts in 154 Magistrates Courts, 76 Video Courts in 30 Crown Courts and 75 Video Courts in 57 Prisons. Escort contracts used to transport defendants from prison to court were fixed price contracts until 1 September 2004 thus little or no savings have been accrued for this part of the operation as yet.

Project Eagle

Ross Cranston: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Department for Constitutional Affairs if he will make a statement on progress with Project Eagle, to make UK law more accessible to people who need advice through enhanced computer technology.

David Lammy: Project Eagle is a cutting edge partnership initiative between the Legal Services Commission, two Midlands Citizens Advice Bureaux and "Citizens Advice". The system is intended as a support tool for advice givers, with the intention of enabling trained generalist advisers to deliver more specialist advice and develop the capability of a specialist, starting with the area of employment advice.
	In the two years Project Eagle has been running, work has progressed to build and trial the system. Initially funding was through the Treasury's Invest to Save Budget.

HEALTH

Dentistry

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on future contractual arrangements between the primary care trusts and dentists.

Rosie Winterton: With effect from next October, the Department will be delegating the commissioning of national health service dentistry to primary care trusts through new contractual arrangements that will replace the present item for service payments with a remuneration system that focuses on better meeting patients' overall oral health needs. To support these reforms, we will be allocating extra funding of £250 million a year from 2005–06—an increase of 19.3 per cent., compared with spending in 2003–04 on NHS dentistry.
	Representatives from the British Dental Association (BDA) and departmental officials last met on 24 November to discuss the new contractual arrangements, and agreed the following joint statement:
	"The Department of Health and the BDA are continuing discussions on the new contractual arrangements to take effect from October 2005. Both sides are conscious of the need to achieve early outcome and will be meeting again early next month"
	We received a letter, via e-mail, from the BDA at 3.15pm. on 7 December stating that they did not wish to continue the discussions and would not be attending the meetings scheduled for 8 December and 20 December.
	Preparations for the dentistry reforms, including new contractual arrangements, remain on course for introduction from 1 October 2005. We will continue to keep the House informed of progress.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of (a) in-house canteen and (b) other catering services provided by his Department in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: The Department's canteens are a nil subsidy operation. The Department makes no direct payment to its catering contractor for the provision of its staff restaurants.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years.

Rosie Winterton: None of the buildings owned by the Department has been vacant at any time during the past two years.

Drink Driving

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was to each health authority of providing medical assistance as a result of accidents on the road in which alcohol was a contributory factor in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: This information is not collected centrally.

Expenditure (Leeds)

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the allocations of (a) revenue and (b) capital to Leeds primary care trusts and each of their predecessor healthcare commissioning bodies have been since 199192.

Melanie Johnson: The information requested is shown in the tables.
	
		Revenue allocations to Leeds health authority and Leeds primary care trusts 199697 to 200506 -- 000
		
			  199697 199798 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 Leeds Health Authority 310,435 322,368 339,927 469,356 516,653 
			 East Leeds PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Leeds North East PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Leeds North West PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Leeds West PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South Leeds PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		000
		
			  200102 200203 200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 Leeds Health Authority 559,240 623,153 n/a n/a n/a 
			 East Leeds PCT n/a n/a 151,983 165,586 179,743 
			 Leeds North East PCT n/a n/a 135,571 147,704 160,333 
			 Leeds North West PCT n/a n/a 145,162 158,271 172,126 
			 Leeds West PCT n/a n/a 104,159 113,481 123,183 
			 South Leeds PCT n/a n/a 137,550 150,173 163,518 
		
	
	19992000 was the first year of unified allocations covering Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS), prescribing and General Medical Service cash limited. These figures are not comparable with those for previous which cover HCHS only.
	
		Operational capital allocations to Leeds primary care trusts 200304 to 200506 -- 000
		
			  200304 200405 200506 
		
		
			 East Leeds PCT 95 102 109 
			 Leeds North East PCT 95 102 109 
			 Leeds North West PCT 88 94 100 
			 Leeds West PCT 74 79 85 
			 South Leeds PCT 154 165 176

Eye Tests

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many pensioners had eyesight tests (a) in England and (b) in Amber Valley in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Figures for the number of sight tests by constituency and for pensioners are not collected centrally.
	From 1 April 1999, we restored free sight tests under the National Health Service to those aged 60 and over. Previous to this date, records were only kept for the total number of sight tests for all patients. These figures are shown in Tables 1 and 2.
	
		Table 1: General Ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid for in England for all patients for the years ending31 March 1998 to 1999
		
			  Total sight tests for all patients (million) 
		
		
			 199798 6.99 
			 199899 6.99 
		
	
	
		Table 2: General Ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid by South Derbyshire health authority (HA) for all patients for the years ending 31 March 1998 to 1999
		
			  Total sight tests for all patients (Thousand) 
		
		
			 199798 85.5 
			 199899 89.3 
		
	
	Tables 3 and 4 show the number of National Health Service sight tests paid for in England for the year 19992000 to 200304 and for South Derbyshire (HA) for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2003 and the five primary care trusts (PCTs) covering the old South Derbyshire HA for the year ending 31 March 2004.
	
		Table 3: General Ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid for in England for patients aged 60 and over for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004
		
			  Number of sight tests for aged 60 and over (Million) 
		
		
			 19992000 3.3 
			 200001 3.8 
			 200102 4.0 
			 200203 4.1 
			 200304 4.3 
		
	
	Note:
	Eligibility for NHS sight tests was extended to patients aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999.
	
		Table 4: General ophthalmic services: number of sight tests paid by South Derbyshire HA for patients aged 60 and over for the years ending 31 March 2000 to 2004
		
			  HA and PCT Number of sight tests for aged 60 and over (Thousand) 
		
		
			 19992000 South Derbyshire HA 37.9 
			 200001 South Derbyshire HA 43.5 
			 200102 South Derbyshire HA 47.9 
			 200203 South Derbyshire HA 40.7 
			 200304 Amber Valley PCT 6.9 
			  Central Derby PCT 15.4 
			  Derbyshire Dales And South Derbyshire PCT 3.8 
			  Erewash PCT 9.5 
			  Greater Derby PCT 7.0 
		
	
	Notes:
	Eligibility for NHS sight tests was extended to patients aged 60 and over from 1 April 1999. PCTs took over responsibilities from HAs in October 2002.
	Sight tests can not be equated to the numbers of patients. Although most people do not come back for a sight test within the year, some patients suffering from medical conditions are advised to have re-examinations sooner.

Food Supplements

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the purpose is of the Food Standards Agency review led by Baroness Dean; what estimate he has made of the cost of the review; what account the review will take of the recent report of the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee on the performance of the Agency; and whether the Dean Review will include an assessment of the performance of that Agency in its handling of negotiations on the Food Supplements Directive.

Melanie Johnson: The board of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has commissioned an external, independent review to assess whether the FSA has delivered its published objectives and, in doing so, has operated in accordance with its key values; to assess the extent to which the FSA operates effectively as a United Kingdom-wide body in a devolved policy area; and to appraise how the FSA is viewed by its stakeholders. The terms of reference of the review allow my noble Friend, the Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde as the independent reviewer to investigate the performance of the FSA in any of its functions, and to draw on any relevant evidence in so doing. The anticipated cost of the review of the FSA is between 15,000 and 25,000.

Fuel Poverty

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made with the cross-departmental research project into the impact of fuel poverty interventions on health.

Elliot Morley: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Romsey (Sandra Gidley) on 1 December 2004, Official Report, column 118W.

GP Lists (Wandsworth)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average size is of general practitioners' lists in the London borough of Wandsworth.

Stephen Ladyman: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Average list size of Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)1 for Wandsworth Primary Care Trust (PCT), as at 30 September 2003 -- Number (headcount)
		
			  Wandsworth PCT 
		
		
			 UPEs 174 
			 Patients of UPEs 309,365 
			 Average list size of UPEs 1,778 
		
	
	(22) UPEs include General Medical Service unrestricted principals, Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracted General Practitioners (GPs) and salaried GPs.
	Patient data has been revised from previously published figures
	Source:
	Department of Health general and personal medical services statistics.

Health White Paper

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what qualifications health champions as defined in the White Paper, Choosing Health, Cm 6374, will be required to hold;
	(2)  whether health champions as defined in the White Paper, Choosing Health Cm 6374 will receive a fee for their services to NHS patients.

Melanie Johnson: Health champions will be people with experience and skills in developing new services across the public, voluntary and private sectors that improve health and narrow health inequalities and will not receive any fee for services to individual national health service patients.
	They will provide advice and consultancy to organisations to spread good practice. We expect that this support will usually be provided on a reciprocal basis between the agencies who employ the individuals concerned. However, there may be occasions when an organisation may wish to purchase the support of a health champion for a fee in the same way that it might purchase other consultancy services.
	The Improvement and Development Agency have piloted this within local government and have developed ways of accrediting people on the basis of their track record in delivering service improvements.

Health Spending (Islington)

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the level of per capita public expenditure through the NHS was in Islington on (a) primary care, (b) hospital care and (c) mental health for each year since 199697.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 8 December 2004
	Information is not available in the format requested.
	Expenditure per weighted head of the population in the North Central London Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area, which includes Islington, has increased from 623.57 in 199798 to 1,224.67 in 200304.
	Information on mental health spend is not collected centrally.
	Notes:
	This does not represent the total expenditure per head, as an element of health expenditure cannot be identified by SHA area.
	The method of calculation of the total expenditure per head has changed from that used in 200203, so comparisons may not be appropriate.
	The change in methodology is as a result of changing data collections.

Medicines

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his policy to support rights for patients (a) to refuse to accept medicines from pharmacies if they are packaged in a way that the patient believes is substandard and (b) to accept medicine only in the packaging intended by the manufacturer for the UK.

Rosie Winterton: The Department's policy is for medicines to be dispensed with sufficient information and advice to enable the patient to use them safely and effectively. Pharmacists should use their professional judgment and conform to the generally accepted standards of the profession to convey this information in a way, which the patient readily understands. Patients encountering any problems with National Health Service medicines supplied should discuss this further with their pharmacist or general practitioner. If a patient remains dissatisfied, he or she can lodge a formal complaint with the pharmacy or GP.
	All medicines licensed for sale in the United Kingdom, including parallel imports, must comply with the UK medicines labelling regulations, which set out the information that must be provided, in English, on the product packaging. Following importation, the importer will re-label or repack the product and produce a patient information leaflet in English so that these regulations are complied with. Packaging and labelling are evaluated during the licensing process for parallel imports.

Medicines

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with parallel trade associations about possible risks to patient safety from re-packaged medicines;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with patient organisations regarding (a) parallel traded medicines and (b) substandard and poorly repackaged medicines.

Rosie Winterton: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is in regular discussions with the parallel importer's trade association (British Association of European Pharmaceutical Distributors), United Kingdom marketing authorisation holders and individual parallel importers to discuss aspects of the packaging of imported medicines. This has generally been done on a case-by-case basis if issues are identified or when new requirements or guidance are introduced. The agency has not had any formal discussions with parallel trade associations regarding the possible risks to patient safety from re-packaged medicines from the parallel trade in pharmaceuticals.
	To date, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has not received any representation from, nor had any discussions with patient organisations regarding any substandard and poorly repackaged medicines from the parallel trade in pharmaceuticals, nor has had any discussions specifically dealing with parallel trade in medicines.
	The MHRA has received some letters from individual patients, patient carers and health professionals on the packaging of parallel imports. In these cases, the product labelling and repackaging has been reviewed and, where appropriate, the parallel importer asked to address the concern raised.
	The agency has also met with the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) to advise them of its requirements relating to parallel imports so that patients and their carers can have access to accurate information about these medicines.
	In licensing parallel imports, the MHRA ensures the products comply with the appropriate regulations.
	The repackaging of licensed medicinal products, such as parallel imports, is controlled by the specification registered in the parallel import licence and may only be carried out by assembly sites licensed and inspected by the MHRA.
	During the repackaging operation parallel importers are not permitted to change or interfere with the primary packaging of the productthat is the immediate packaging in contact with the product itself (for instance the blister packaging). However to comply with the ED labelling regulations as laid down in Title V of the Directive 2001/83/EC the importer is required to over label the immediate packaging with certain details in English and to over label or replace the outer packaging to provide additional information in English. Each product must also contain a patient information leaflet in English. These operations may be carried out by the importer if the company holds an assembly licence, issued by MHRA after the inspecting the site. Any repackaging and re-labelling proposed by a parallel importer is considered by MHRA before a parallel import licence is issued.
	MHRA operates a Defective Medicines Report Centre (DMRC) which deals with reports of defects to all medicines, including parallel imports. All reports made to the DMRC are investigated and where necessary, appropriate action taken.
	MHRA would be happy to meet with any patient organisation to discuss parallel imports.

Medicines

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications for wholesale distribution licences have been declined following a criminal records inquiry by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in each year since 2000.

Rosie Winterton: Most wholesale dealer's licence applications are made in the name of a company rather than an individual. A criminal enquiry check cannot be made on a company. The Licensing Authority does not perform a criminal enquiry check on an individual.
	Records held by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority show that two applications for a wholesale dealer's licence have been refused since 1 January 2000 because the proposed premises in their application were unsuitable for the distribution of medicinal products.

Medicines

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parallel traders have (a) been prosecuted, (b) been reprimanded and (c) had their licences revoked by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in each year since 2000.

Rosie Winterton: Records held by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency have identified that, from the 1 January 2000, no licensed wholesale dealers, who are involved in the business of parallel import trading of medicinal products, have been prosecuted, or reprimanded, or have been issued a formal caution for a medicines legislation offence.
	During the same period, four wholesale dealers that were involved in the business of parallel import trading of medicinal products have had their wholesale dealer's licence revoked as a result of breaching the conditions of their licence.

Mental Health Services (Harrow)

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps have been taken to replace the mental health counselling services in Harrow provided by MIND following the closure of that facility.

Stephen Ladyman: In accordance with our policy of Shifting the balance of Power, primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning care to get the best services for local people, subject to the highest clinical standards and best value for money. It is for each PCT to decide what money it allocates to each particular strand of its local health service according to their assessment of local need.
	I therefore suggest that the hon. Member liaises directly with his local PCT on this matter.

Musculoskeletal Diseases

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the general practitioner consultation and referral rates were for musculoskeletal diseases, including pain management, but excluding osteoarthritis in each English primary care trust in the last year for which figures are available; what the population served by each English primary care trust is; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The data on general practitioner consultations and referrals is not available.
	Detailed statistics on the numbers of people registered with a GP in each primary care organisation are routinely published on the Department of Health's website at http://www.publications.doh.gov.uk/stats/population/index.htm

Myasthenia Gravis

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans to support those who are diagnosed with myasthenia gravis.

Stephen Ladyman: There is no cure for myasthenia gravis, but it is treated with medication, surgery as appropriate and palliation.
	The national service framework for long-term conditions will focus on improving services for people with neurological conditions and addressing some of the common issues that can promote independence for people with other long-term conditions. It will apply to services across England and the people that receive treatment, care and support at these services.

Neonatal Care

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish his response to the report of the neonatal intensive care services review group; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: The conclusions of this review were put to national consultation between April and July 2003. The review suggested establishing formal managed clinical networks to deliver neonatal intensive care and this was supported in the consultation. Primary care trusts are now working with neonatal specialist commissioners and strategic health authorities to establish the optimum configuration to provide local services for all babies, with clinically managed access to specialist facilities for those babies who require intensive care.

Newborn Hearing Screening

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the (a) information and (b) support provided to the families of deaf children identified through newborn hearing screening.

Stephen Ladyman: The information provided to the families of deaf children identified by newborn hearing screening was developed in collaboration with the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) and is available in leaflet form, covering assessment, diagnosis, and provision of services, including education and social services. There is also a NDCS helpline. This is supplemented by local services taking advantage of the early support programme as it rolls out across local authorities. It is for local managers to satisfy themselves that the provision of information, services and support to individual families and their children by the National Health Service and local authorities is effective, in line with priorities and is of high quality.

Psychiatric Wards (Young People)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure young people being held on adult psychiatric wards receive treatment by staff who are specifically trained to support them and their families.

Stephen Ladyman: The child and adolescent mental health standard of the recently published children's national service framework (NSF) has a marker of good practice that states
	All staff working directly with children and young people have sufficient knowledge, training and support to promote the psychological well-being of children, young people and their families and to identify indicators of good practice.
	The NSF also recognises that specific training is needed for adult mental health professionals to enable them to be aware of the developmental needs of young adults making the transition across services.

Psychiatric Wards (Young People)

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many young people have been held on adult psychiatric wards in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not collected centrally.
	Placing adolescents on adult psychiatric wards is sometimes necessary and acceptable for clinical or practical reasons. The recently published children's national service framework (NSF) sets a standard that
	' . . . young people who require admission to hospital for mental health care have access to appropriate care in an environment suited to their age and development'.
	The Government are committed to delivering the standards set out in the NSF and is investing an additional 300 million to improve child and adolescent mental health services.

Video Conferencing Units

Patsy Calton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many video conferencing units are installed in (a) the Department, (b) the NHS and (c) each non-departmental public body for which his Department has oversight; what percentage of offices have these facilities in each case; and what plans there are to increase the number.

Rosie Winterton: The Department has a total of 14 video conferencing studios in its London and Leeds buildings. There are a further nine mobile video conferencing facilities in meeting rooms and 11 desktop video conferencing units in departmental buildings.
	Video conferencing utilisation is monitored closely to ensure maximum benefit is obtained. The market is reviewed to assess developments and costs as well as to ensure departmental business can be conducted satisfactorily.
	Use of video conferencing within the national health service is a local operational matter for individual NHS trusts. Figures on numbers on video conferencing units within the NHS are not collected centrally.
	Figures on numbers of video conferencing units within non-departmental public bodies is not collected centrally.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Academic Performance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what Government-funded research is being undertaken of the effects on academic performance linked of an increase in sport activity.

David Miliband: The Department has funded the University of Warwick to complete a study of specialist schools including sports colleges. Published on 25 November, in parallel to the Specialist Schools Trust national conference, it found that specialist status is a powerful lever for school improvement associated with raising academic performance. Sports colleges' attainment is increasing more than average. Since 1997, sports colleges have raised their attainment from 41 per cent. to 48.7 per cent.(a rate of increase almost twice the national average. The full report and a summary are now available at www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR587.pdf and www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RB587.pdf.
	In addition, as part of the national strategy for PE, school sport and club links we are currently funding:
	1. The Youth Sport Trust to carry out a Sports College Research Project. This comprises a national survey of sports colleges and individual school based research;
	2. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to investigate the difference that high quality PE and school sport make to young people and the impact that this has on their schools.

Building Schools for the Future

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether it is a condition of the Building Schools for the Future programme that proposals include the establishment of at least one academy; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: holding answer 2 December 2004
	The departmental guidance document, Building Schools for the FutureA new approach to capital investment, issued in February 2004 states: The Government will expect an evaluation of the potential for Academies to form an integral part of plans, and bold innovation in the use of Academies will help proposals progress quickly to approval.

Exeter University

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if he will take action to prevent the proposed closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(2)  what plans (a) the Government and (b) the Higher Education Funding Council have to intervene to prevent the proposed closure of undergraduate chemistry provision at Exeter University;
	(3)  what steps he proposes to take to prevent the closure of undergraduate chemistry provision in universities;
	(4)  if he will make a statement on the proposed closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision.

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what steps he proposes to take to prevent the closure of undergraduate chemistry provision in universities;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the proposed closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(3)  if he will take action to prevent the proposed closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(4)  what plans (a) the Government and (b) the Higher Education Funding Council has to intervene to prevent the proposed closure of undergraduate chemistry provision at Exeter University.

Kim Howells: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous organisations responsible for their own academic direction and strategic use of funds. Whether or not to close undergraduate chemistry provision is therefore a matter for Exeter University alone. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is monitoring the situation closely.
	I have asked HEFCE to advise me on higher education subjects or courses of national strategic importance, including science subjects, where intervention might be appropriate to strengthen or secure them. HEFCE will be entering into a strategic dialogue with universities, colleges, employers and other partners to consider this matter.

Exeter University

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received concerning the proposed closure of undergraduate chemistry provision at Exeter University from (a) the Royal Society of Chemistry, (b) the South West Regional Development Agency, (c) companies operating in the South West and (d) others; and if he will make a statement.

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what representations he has received from (a) the Royal Society of Chemistry, (b) the South West Regional Development Agency, (c) companies operating in the South West and (d) others concerning the proposed closure of undergraduate chemistry provision at Exeter University; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I met the Royal Society of Chemistry on Wednesday 1 December to discuss the closure and its wider implications. I have received no representations from the South West RDA, nor from companies in the South West, although I understand that a local company has made representations to the Royal Society of Chemistry. A number of parents and students have been in touch with the Department via e-mail, telephone calls and letters.
	Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous organisations responsible for their own academic direction and strategic use of funds. I understand that Exeter University is working very closely with the students to ensure that all their individual needs are met. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is monitoring the situation closely.

Exeter University

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with Ministerial colleagues in (a) the Department for Trade and Industry and (b) the Treasury about the proposed closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues in (a) the Department for Trade and Industry and (b) the Treasury about the proposed closure by Exeter University of its undergraduate chemistry provision.

Kim Howells: The Secretary of State and I have discussed the implications of the Exeter announcement with the Science Minister, Lord Sainsbury. Our Departments are working together with the Higher Education Funding Council for England to monitor the situation closely.

Exeter University

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  whether his Department has been informed of university chemistry departments other than that at Exeter University that may be in financial difficulty;
	(2)  whether his Department has been informed of university chemistry departments other than that at Exeter University that may be in financial difficulty.

Kim Howells: We have not been informed of any other university chemistry department that may be in financial difficulty. Higher education institutions (HEIs) are autonomous organisations responsible for their own academic direction and strategic use of funds. However, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has a rigorous and well established system for keeping the financial health of all HEIs under review and will monitor this closely.

Children Act

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the duties of independent schools will be under the terms of the Children Act 2004.

David Miliband: The Children Act 2004 does not put duties on independent schools in relation to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. However, it will affect the way that they carry out their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils under S157 of the 2002 Education Act and the 2003 Standards Regulations.
	Section 12 of The Children Act 2004 provides for the establishment of a national network of databases, or Indexes, to support better information sharing about the needs of children between practitioners working in children's services. These databases will contain basic identifying data for each child, contact details for professionals working with the child and a facility to indicate that a professional has a concern about a child. Proprietors of independent schools are under a duty to disclose information to Indexes once they are established.
	I will write to the hon. Member with a fuller explanation.

Children Act

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills who is responsible for the (a) education and (b) welfare of children permanently excluded from schools; and how these responsibilities will be monitored under the terms of the Children Act 2004.

Stephen Twigg: When a permanent exclusion is confirmed by the school's governing body (or by an independent appeal panel), the pupil's name is taken off the school roll and the LEA for the area in which the pupil resides is responsible for providing him or her with suitable education in another school or elsewhere. Parents or carers have responsibility for the welfare of their child whilst he or she is excluded from school.
	Inspections of children's services under the Children Act 2004 will report on the well- being of all children and young people in a local area. This will include inspecting the arrangements made to ensure that those children who have been permanently excluded from school attend appropriate alternative settings aimed at securing re- integration into mainstream provision or work.

Children's Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has issued to (a) local authorities, (b) health services and (c) criminal justice services on working with voluntary and community services organisations to deliver better services to children.

Ivan Lewis: A draft of the statutory guidance on the duty to cooperate to improve children's well-being (section 10 (8) of the Children Act 2004) is currently being prepared and will be available for consultation shortly. This will make clear the Government's expectation that voluntary and community organisations should be represented at all levels of local cooperation arrangements. Local authorities and their relevant partnersdistrict councils, the police, the probation service, youth offending teams, strategic health authorities, primary care trusts, Connexions and the Learning and Skills Council for Englandmust have regard to this guidance. Further non-statutory guidance on good practice and toolkits are also being prepared.
	The importance of working with the voluntary and community sectors is also highlighted in draft statutory guidance on sections 18 and 19 of the Children Act 2004 (Director of Children's Services and Lead Member) currently out for consultation, and will be referenced in draft regulations and non-statutory guidance in relation to section 17 (Children and Young People's Plans) which is intended to be issued for consultation early in 2005. Consultation documents can be accessed at www.dfes.gov.uk/consultations.
	The Every Child Matters: Change for Children programme was launched in December 2004details can be found at www.everychildmatters.gov.uk. At the same time, the Department published a strategy for working with the voluntary and community sectors to deliver change for children and young people. This sets a framework within which local authorities, other public sector partners at national, regional and local level, and voluntary and community organisations can work together to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Departmental Advertising

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost to his Department was of advertising and publicity services in each of the last five years.

Charles Clarke: Expenditure on the Departments central Advertising and Publicity Budget is set out in the following table. In addition to expenditure from this central budget, expenditure from budgets allocated to individual programmes will also include spend on publicity related activity. It is not possible, except at disproportionate cost, to separately identify all such publicity related expenditure. It is, however, possible to identify separately the Department's total expenditure on advertising, and this is also set out in the following table .
	
		
			 Advertising and publicity budget Total departmental spend on advertising 
			  000  000(23) 
		
		
			 19992000 9,902 19992000 11,900 
			 200001 14,595 200001 29,066 
			 200102 11,688 200102 20,489 
			 200203 14,089 200203 11,261 
			 200304 15,500 200304 11,210 
		
	
	(23) These figures include spend on advertising from the central Advertising and Publicity Budget

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate he has made of the cost of (a) new builds, (b) demolition rebuilds and (c) PFI projects in his Department for each of the last two years.

Stephen Twigg: My Department has no new builds, demolition rebuilds or PFI projects under construction.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost has been of criminal damage to his Department's buildings in each of the last two years.

Stephen Twigg: The cost of criminal damage against the Department's buildings where the police were involved was approximately 450 in 2003 and 2,018 in 2004.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the cost of building refurbishment carried out by his Department in each of the last two years.

Stephen Twigg: The estimated cost of building refurbishment carried out in my Department in each of the last two years is as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200304 2,106,720 
			 200203 3,442,935

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the cost of refurbishing each Ministerial Private Office was in each of the last two years.

Stephen Twigg: The cost of refurbishment in Ministerial Offices in each of the last two years is as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 200203 1,480 
			 200304 15,775

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the (a) conferences, (b) seminars, (c) workshops, (d) exhibitions and (e) press conferences which have been sponsored by his Department and which took place on non-departmental premises in each of the last two years giving the (i) title, (ii) purpose, (iii) date and (iv) cost of each.

Charles Clarke: The Department organises a large number of events for different target audiences and purposes each year, ranging from small scale workshops to introduce practitioners to new procedures or initiatives, to larger scale events to promote policy initiatives or present the bigger picture of the Department's activities to external partners and opinion formers.
	Examples of these during the past year include ministerial events in each Government office region to discuss implications and implementation of the departmental Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners with a range of stakeholders.
	Records of events sponsored by the Department are not held centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost to his Department was for the use of external consultants in each of the last two years.

Stephen Twigg: This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total external spending by his Department was on private finance initiative (PFI) consultants in each of the last two years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PFI consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The total external spend by the Department on consultants in support of public private partnerships (PPPs) and private finance initiatives (PFI) in the last two years is shown in the following table:
	
		000
		
			  200203 200304 
		
		
			 PPPs 110 130 
			 PFI 370 214 
			 Total spend on consultants 480 344 
		
	
	During the period 200203 and 200304, the Department used eight consultancy firms and a number of individual consultants in support of PPP and PFI projects.
	The information requested regarding the number of full-time equivalent consultants employed over the period, the number of billed consultancy days per year and the implied average cost of each PFI consultant is not available and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Properties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) his agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last two years.

Stephen Twigg: My Department has had no empty properties in 200203 and 200304.
	Note:
	The Department has no agencies and other public bodies do not own any empty properties.

Education (Hendon)

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many extra 16 to 18-year-olds he expects to stay in education in Hendon as a result of the education maintenance allowance; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Since the start of the academic year, as of 31 October 2004, 544 young people in the Barnet local authority area have received payments under the national EMA scheme. The number is increasing at a steady rate and we expect it to continue to do so. In 2004/05 across England we expect the number of 16 to 18-year-olds participating in education to increase by 35,000 (3.8 percentage points) as a direct result of EMA. By 2006/07, when EMA is available to all eligible 16 to 18-year-olds, an additional 72,000 young people will be in further education. If the same participation increase is applied to the London region an additional 9,700 16 to18-year-olds will be participating in further education by 2006/07. Estimates are not available at local authority level.

Education Bodies

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost is to his Department to date of (a) the Specialist Schools Trust, (b) the National College for School Leadership and (c) the Teacher Training Agency; what the costs of equivalent services were in 1997; and how many staff are employed by each body.

David Miliband: The following table shows the total grant allocated to the Specialist Schools Trust, the National College for School Leadership and the Teacher Training Agency to date for 200405; the equivalent funding for 199798; and the total number of staff employed by each body in 200405.
	The Specialist Schools Trust's services, including those funded by the Government, have developed to reflect the significant expansion in specialist schools, 257 schools in 1997 to 1,956 schools in 2004, and the extra opportunities presented by a mainly specialist system.
	In March 2004, the TTA's remit was expanded to include:
	the wider school work force, moving further towards securing comprehensive training and development for all school support staff;
	being a key partner in the new strategic network representing all staff working with children and young people that is being established in response to Every Child Matters, and
	strengthening its contribution to teachers' Continuing Professional Development.
	
		DfES grant (cash terms) -- 000
		
			  199798 200405 Current FTE staff 
		
		
			 Specialist Schools Trust 678 12,452 70 
			 National College for School  Leadership  116,675 246 
			 Teacher Training Agency 211,303 564,151 256 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand.
	2. NCSL was established in 2000 and there was no equivalent agency in 1997.
	3. TTA 200405 grant in aid figures are based on allocations made for the year between 1 April and 29 November 2004.
	4. TTA current FTE staff figure includes employment of 20 temporary agency staff.

EU Regulation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the European Union directives and regulations relating to his Department that have been implemented in each of the last two years, specifying (a) the title and purpose of each, (b) the cost to public funds of each and (c) the cost to businesses of each.

Kim Howells: Since November 2002 the following EU directives and regulations have been implemented by the Department for Education and Skills.
	The Department for Education and Skills has responsibility for implementing directive 92/51/EEC on a second general system for the recognition of professional education and training. UK regulations which give effect to directive 92/51/EEC, were drafted and came into force on 1 January 2003 (S.I. 2002/2934). These regulations consolidated and re-enacted previous implementing UK regulations and made some amendments. The regulations apply to all professions which are regulated by law or public authority. They provide for a scheme for the recognition of qualifications of migrants from member states of the European Community (or from Iceland, Norway, Lichtenstein or Switzerland) seeking to take up or pursue a profession which is regulated in the UK.
	The cost to public funds was the cost of drafting the implementing UK legislation. The Department does not generally hold cost information in this form.
	The cost of implementation to businesses takes the form of administrative costs to the regulatory authorities who administer the process of recognition. These bodies are able to levy an administration fee upon individuals for the processing of applications for recognition.
	In addition, the DfES took over responsibility for directive 89/48/EEC, First General System for Recognition of Professional Qualifications, and directive 99/42/EC, Third General System for the Recognition of Qualifications and Experience, from the DTI in August 2003. This gives the DfES the entire responsibility for the general system of recognition of professional qualifications and education. These directives have not required implementing UK legislation since the responsibility transferred to the DfES.

Foreign Language Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, what steps have been taken to recruit foreign language teachers for primary schools.

David Miliband: There has been considerable progress on the development of language learning in primary schools, underpinned by the launch in December 2002 of the Government's National Languages Strategy for England. The Strategy recognises the importance of developing a workforce to implement primary language learning, and much of our work to date has focussed on this area.
	In developing a school workforce, we are building up a cadre of both specialist teachers and non-teacher specialists to support primary language learning. 580 places have been allocated this year for Primary Initial Teacher Training with a specialism in French, German, Spanish or Italian, and we intend to expand this programme further next year. This means that over 1,200 teacher trainees will have been trained by the end of this year. In addition we have allocated 50 primary MFL places a year to the Graduate Teacher Programme.
	For existing teachers, we have funded primary MFL Advanced Skills Teacher posts and are working with the TTA to develop and pilot CPD courses for existing primary teachers to enhance language skills and MFL pedagogy.
	For non-teacher specialists, we are working with the British Council to extend the foreign language assistants programme into primary schools, and are developing training for teaching assistants to support primary language learning.

Head Teachers

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will list head teachers by (a) race and (b) gender in (i) England, (ii) each region and (iii) each local education authority.

David Miliband: Information on the ethnic origin of head teachers is not collected centrally.
	The following table gives the number of full-time regular head teachers by gender for maintained sector schools in England listed by region and local education authority at March 2003, (the latest information available by gender).
	The information is taken from the Database of Teachers' Records a database maintained primarily for pensions purposes. LEAs are shown as not available where data are insufficiently complete to be reliable. National and regional totals show data for all LEAs.
	
		Numbers of full time regular head teachers in service in maintained sector schools, March 2003 (Provisional)
		
			  Male Female Total 
		
		
			 Darlington 20 30 50 
			 Hartlepool 20 20 40 
			 Middlesbrough n/a n/a n/a 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 30 40 70 
			 Stockton on Tees 50 40 90 
			 Durham 150 170 320 
			 Northumberland 80 130 220 
			 Gateshead 30 50 80 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne n/a n/a n/a 
			 North Tyneside 40 40 80 
			 South Tyneside 30 30 60 
			 Sunderland 10 10 10 
			 North East 460 550 1,020 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 20 50 70 
			 Blackpool 20 20 40 
			 Halton n/a n/a n/a 
			 Warrington 60 40 100 
			 Cheshire 160 170 330 
			 Cumbria 150 180 330 
			 Bolton 60 70 130 
			 Bury 50 30 80 
			 Manchester 80 90 170 
			 Oldham 50 70 120 
			 Rochdale 50 60 110 
			 Salford n/a n/a n/a 
			 Stockport 50 90 140 
			 Tameside 50 60 110 
			 Trafford 40 50 90 
			 Wigan 50 70 120 
			 Lancashire 320 340 660 
			 Knowsley n/a n/a n/a 
			 Liverpool n/a n/a n/a 
			 St Helens 40 40 80 
			 Sefton 70 60 130 
			 Wirral 60 80 140 
			 North West 1,500 1,730 3,220 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 80 80 160 
			 City of Kingston Upon Hull 50 60 110 
			 North East Lincolnshire 30 50 80 
			 North Lincolnshire 40 50 90 
			 York 40 30 70 
			 North Yorkshire 170 220 390 
			 Barnsley n/a n/a n/a 
			 Doncaster 70 70 140 
			 Rotherham 50 80 140 
			 Sheffield 90 110 200 
			 Bradford 80 120 200 
			 Calderdale 40 50 100 
			 Kirklees 80 110 180 
			 Leeds 120 170 290 
			 Wakefield 70 90 160 
			 Yorkshire and the Number 1,000 1,290 2,290 
			 Derby 20 20 40 
			 Leicester 30 30 70 
			 Nottingham 80 90 170 
			 Rutland (24) 10 10 
			 Derbyshire 190 250 440 
			 Leicestershire 150 150 290 
			 Lincolnshire 170 160 330 
			 Northamptonshire 150 200 350 
			 Nottinghamshire 220 170 390 
			 East Midlands 1,000 1,090 2,090 
			 Herefordshire 60 50 100 
			 Stoke on Trent 50 60 110 
			 Telford and Wrekin 30 50 80 
			 Shropshire 90 80 170 
			 Staffordshire 220 210 420 
			 Warwickshire 100 160 260 
			 Birmingham 190 290 480 
			 Coventry 70 60 130 
			 Dudley 60 50 110 
			 Sandwell 70 60 130 
			 Solihull 100 90 190 
			 Walsall 60 70 130 
			 Wolverhampton 60 60 120 
			 Worcestershire 120 160 280 
			 West Midlands 1,260 1,450 2,710 
			 Luton 20 60 80 
			 Peterborough 30 40 70 
			 Southend on Sea 20 40 60 
			 Thurrock n/a n/a n/a 
			 Bedfordshire n/a n/a n/a 
			 Cambridgeshire 90 170 260 
			 Essex 220 360 570 
			 Hertfordshire 170 310 480 
			 Norfolk 200 260 460 
			 Suffolk 150 190 340 
			 East of England 950 1,560 2,510 
			 Camden 10 50 60 
			 City of London (24) (24)mdash; (24) 
			 Hackney n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 20 40 50 
			 Haringey 20 60 00 
			 Islington 20 30 50 
			 Kensington and Chelsea (25) 20 30 
			 Lambeth 20 30 50 
			 Lewisham 20 50 70 
			 Newham 30 70 90 
			 Southwark 10 10 20 
			 Tower Hamlets n/a n/a n/a 
			 Wandsworth 30 50 80 
			 City of Westminster n/a n/a n/a 
			 Barking and Dagenham 20 40 60 
			 Barnet 40 70 110 
			 Bexley 30 50 80 
			 Brent 20 50 70 
			 Bromley n/a n/a n/a 
			 Croydon 50 90 140 
			 Ealing 30 60 80 
			 Enfield 30 60 90 
			 Greenwich n/a n/a n/a 
			 Harrow 20 50 70 
			 Havering 40 50 80 
			 Hillingdon 50 40 90 
			 Hounslow 20 60 80 
			 Kingston upon Thames n/a n/a n/a 
			 Merton n/a n/a n/a 
			 Redbridge 30 50 80 
			 Richmond upon Thames n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sutton n/a n/a n/a 
			 Waltham Forest 20 70 90 
			 London 700 1,290 2,000 
			 Bracknell Forest 10 30 40 
			 Brighton and Hove 30 50 80 
			 Isle of Wight 20 40 70 
			 Medway 40 60 100 
			 Milton Keynes 50 60 110 
			 Portsmouth 20 50 70 
			 Reading 20 40 60 
			 Slough 20 30 50 
			 Southampton 30 50 80 
			 West Berkshire 20 60 80 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 20 50 60 
			 Wokingham 20 50 70 
			 Buckinghamshire 100 140 240 
			 East Sussex 80 100 180 
			 Hampshire 180 310 490 
			 Kent 260 310 570 
			 Oxfordshire 120 180 310 
			 Surrey 130 290 420 
			 West Sussex 120 190 310 
			 South East 1,280 2,090 3,370 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 30 60 90 
			 Bournemouth 10 (24) 10 
			 City of Bristol 70 100 170 
			 North Somerset 40 30 80 
			 Plymouth 60 50 110 
			 Poole 20 30 50 
			 South Gloucestershire 60 60 120 
			 Swindon 10 20 40 
			 Torbay 30 20 40 
			 Cornwall 150 150 300 
			 Isles of Scilly (24) (24) (24) 
			 Devon 180 200 380 
			 Dorset 80 100 180 
			 Gloucestershire 130 170 300 
			 Somerset 150 140 280 
			 Wiltshire 90 160 250 
			 South West 1,100 1,270 2,370 
			 England 9,260 12,320 21,580 
		
	
	n/a Not available
	(24) Nil or less than 5

Increased Flexibility Programme

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the 1416 Increased Flexibility programme will be continued; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: An announcement will be made shortly.

Islington Schools

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much his Department spent on (a) pre-school, (b) primary school and (c) secondary schools in the Borough of Islington for each year since 199697; and how much was spent by the London borough of Islington from locally-generated revenue.

David Miliband: holding answer 8 December 2004
	The Department funds Local Education Authorities and it is for them to decide how that funding is allocated within their area. Information relating to the spending on pre-primary, primary and secondary schools in Islington Education Authority is provided in the following table. Locally generated revenue data is not collected by my Department.
	
		Combined LEA and school based net expenditure(25) by Islington LEA 199697 to 200203(26).
		
			  Pre-primary education Primary education Pre-primary and Primary education Secondary education Overall LEA and school based expenditure 
		
		
			 199697 n/a n/a 41,104,000 25,845,000 86,049,000 
			 199798(27) n/a n/a 43,454,000 26,575,000 88,659,000 
			 199899(27) n/a n/a 46,950,000 27,161,000 94,361,000 
			 19992000(27) 6,524,000 44,570,000 51,094,000 29,607,000 93,160,000 
			 200001 7,786,000 49,511,000 57,298,000 35,857,000 103,392,000 
			 200102 8,223,000 53,576,000 61,799,000 42,826,000 115,651,000 
			 2002031, 4 n/a n/a n/a n/a 112,676,000 
		
	
	(25) The combined LEA and school based expenditure includes all expenditure on the education of children in LEA maintained establishments and pupils educated by the LEA other than in maintained establishments. This includes both school based expenditure and all elements of central LEA expenditure except youth and community and capital expenditure from revenue (CERA). A sector breakdown for combined LEA and school based expenditure is not available in 200203 due to the redesign of the Section 52 Outturn Table A where central LEA expenditure is no longer split by phase.
	(26) 199900 saw a change in data source when the data collection moved from the RO1 form collected by the ODPM to the Section 52 form from the DfES. 200203 saw a further break in the time series following the introduction of Consistent Financial Reporting (CFR) and the associated restructuring of the outturn tables. The change in sources is shown by the dotted line.
	(27) Spending in 199798 reflects the transfer of monies from local government to central Government for the nursery vouchers scheme. These were returned to local government from 199899. The 199900 figures reflect the return of GM schools to local authority maintenance.
	(28) In 200203 Islington LEA were one of a group of LEAs whose net current expenditure was lower than expected. It is suspected that this was caused by the misreporting of funding in the income column of their 200203 Outturn Statement Table A.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest1,000 as reported by the LEA. n-a= not available

Literacy/Numeracy

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of (a) Key Stage 2 pupils and (b) Key Stage 3 pupils reached the required standards in both literacy and numeracy in each year since 1997 in (i) Haltemprice and Howden and (ii) England.

David Miliband: The percentage of Key Stage 2 pupils achieving level 4 or above in English and mathematics for 19972003 are set out in the following table:
	
		Percentage
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Haltemprice and Howden:  
			 English 69.2 72.0 76.8 84.3 82.0 81.9 79.7 
			 Mathematics 70.0 70.6 76.3 79.2 77.2 80.0 77.5 
			 England:
			 English 63 65 71 75 75 75 75 
			 Mathematics 62 59 69 72 71 73 73 
		
	
	The percentage of Key Stage 3 pupils achieving level 5 or above in English and mathematics for 19972003 are set out in the following table:
	
		Percentage
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 
		
		
			 Haltemprice and Howden: 
			 English 64.9 68.4 66,6 68.9 66.7 69.8 76.9 
			 Mathematics 69.0 64.7 70.0 73.7 72.2 71.5 72.8 
			 England:
			 English 57 65 64 64 65 67 69 
			 Mathematics 60 59 62 65 66 67 71 
		
	
	Figures for 2004 by Parliamentary Constituency are not yet available, but will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

OECD PISA Survey 2003

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what reasons were given by the schools in England which refused to take part in the OECD PISA 2003 survey for their decision not to take part.

David Miliband: The Department's contractor, ONS, gained some insights from contacts with schools while seeking their agreement to take part about why they did not wish to participate in PISA 2003. The most common reason for refusal was the teaching staff time required in co-ordinating the school's participation in the studies. Schools also said that they received too many requests from a number of different sources to take part in surveys. The PISA rules require that testing takes place in the spring or summer terms and, as the sample was of 1516 year olds, many sampled pupils were in their GCSE year and even the half a day's testing required by PISA was seen as a distraction from their preparation.

OECD PISA Survey 2003

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what reasons were given by schools which took part in the OECD PISA 2003 survey for excluding certain pupils from the survey.

David Miliband: PISA is a voluntary survey and relies on the co-operation of both schools and students. Schools which participated in PISA did not have a role in excluding eligible students. Some students declined to take part in the survey as their participation was voluntary and some students who agreed to take part in PISA were absent on the day of testing.

OECD PISA Survey 2003

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions officials from the Office for National Statistics have had with officials from the Department for Education and Skills regarding the OECD PISA 2003 survey.

David Miliband: As the Department's contractor for PISA 2000 and 2003, the ONS has had an ongoing and close relationship with DFES over a number of years. This has included regular project management meetings and updates on PISA as appropriate to the stage of the survey.

OECD PISA Survey 2003

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 1 December, Official Report, column 147W on International Student Assessment Study, what the response rate of (a) schools and (b) pupils in the sample of English schools selected was for (i) the OECD PISA survey 2000 and (ii) the OECD PISA survey 2003.

David Miliband: The school and pupil response rates for England for PISA 2000 and 2003 are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  School Responsebefore replacement School Responseafter replacement Pupil Response 
		
		
			 PISA 2000 59 82 81 
			 PISA 2003 64 77 77

Permanent Exclusions (Fines)

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which local education authorities issue fines to schools for permanent exclusion.

Stephen Twigg: Schools are not fined for permanently excluding a pupil. Some local education authorities deduct an amount of money (over and above the amount prescribed in regulations) from the excluding school's budget to help pay for the excluded pupil's suitable education elsewhere. Information on which LEAs do this is not held centrally.

School Building Programme

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the progress of local education authorities in wave one of Building Schools for the Future.

David Miliband: The local education authorities involved in wave one of Building Schools for the Future are making good progress with their plans. Projects are being developed in secondary schools in Bradford, Bristol, Greenwich, Gateshead, Knowsley, Lancashire, Leeds, Leicester, Manchester, Newham, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Sheffield, Solihull, Stoke-on-Trent, Southwark, Sunderland and Waltham Forest.

School Building Programme

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his evidence to the Education and Skills Select Committee of Wednesday 1 December, what the evidential basis is for his statement that a brand new school building improves educational performance; and to what extent that evidence has been disaggregated from other factors with particular reference to (a) exclusions, (b) new leadership and (c) improved staffing.

David Miliband: In 1999, my Department commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to evaluate the relationship between schools capital investment and pupil performance. This was published in 2000 as Research Report 242 Building Performance. Further research was then carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers which we published in 2003 as Research Report 407 Building Better Performance. These studies showed quantitative evidence of a positive and statistically significant relationship between capital investment and pupil performance. Investment included both new schools and improvements to existing buildings, and positive evidence was strongest in relation to investment that supported better delivery of the curriculum. This statistical work included correlation and multivariate analysis to take account of other influences on performance such as those you mention and, indeed, a range of other factors.
	The qualitative analysis also suggested a much greater positive impact of capital spending on pupil achievement, mainly through the boost it gives to teacher and pupil morale and hence the quality of teaching and learning.
	These research reports are available in the House Library.

School Building Programme

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much money his Department is budgeting to spend on the Voluntary Aided Schools Capital Programme in 200405; and how much has been spent so far.

David Miliband: The Department has budgeted to spend 520 million against capital projects in voluntary aided (VA) schools, and we expect this to be fully spent. At the end of November 2004 the Department had paid 288 million in response to claims made by VA schools.

School Staff Profile

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) teachers and (b) other school staff in England are from (i) other EU countries, (ii) Commonwealth countries and (iii) other countries.

David Miliband: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Science Teachers

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the impact on the future supply of school science teachers of the closure of the chemistry department at Exeter University; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We regularly monitor the supply of teachers, including in science, through the Teacher Training Agency and shall continue to do so. Monitoring the impact of the closure of university science courses would be part of that process. Between January 2001 and January 2004, the number of science teacher vacancies in secondary schools fell by 40 per cent. The Government also continue to pay 4,000 Golden Hellos to eligible science teachers entering the profession. This will rise to 5,000 for those entering teacher training from September 2005.

Sector Skills Development Agency

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will make a statement on the contribution of the Sector Skills Development Agency towards increasing skills and productivity in industry.

Ivan Lewis: The SSDA was established in July 2002 with the remit to develop, regulate, and support a network of 25 Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) which I anticipate will be in place by the summer of 2005.
	The SSDA plays an essential role in ensuring that each SSC has the capability to develop a forward looking skills agenda to help raise skills levels in the public and private sectors and to drive productivity improvement in the industry sectors they represent. It ensures essential cross sector and generic skill issues such as management and leadership are addressed and undertakes important research on the linkages between skills and productivity.
	The SSDA is currently in the process of agreeing its Strategic Plan for 200508 with Government. This will include a framework of key performance measures centred Aroundhigher performance working practices; reduction of skills gaps; increased participation in job-related training; the introduction of sector specific Sector Skills Agreements (SSAs) and increased awareness of the Skills for Business network. The SSDA will shortly agree the first four UK wide Sector Skills Agreements (SSAs).
	SSAs will be the primary means by which industry articulates and helps deliver the specific skills that individual's need sector by sector to drive improvements to productivity and competitiveness. A further six SSAs were announced on 16 November and eventually all 25 SSCs will have an SSA.
	The Skills for Business network in partnership with the Learning and Skills Council has and continues to develop engagement with many large businesses with business leaders playing a key role on SSC boards.

Student Finance

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, if he will make a statement on student loans for students who are on NHS-funded courses.

Kim Howells: Students in England who are attending NHS-funded DipHE nursing, midwifery or operating department practitioner courses, and postgraduate level courses, are not eligible for student loans but are eligible for non means-tested NHS bursaries. Students in England who are attending NHS funded degree courses are eligible to apply for means-tested NHS bursaries and for a reduced, non means-tested student loan.
	English domiciled students attending standard medical and dental degree courses may apply for full-rate student loans for the first four years of their courses. For the fifth and subsequent years of their courses they can apply for means-tested NHS bursaries, and a reduced, non-means-tested student loan. English domiciled students on fast-track graduate entry medical degree courses can apply for a full student loan in year one. For years two to four of their course, they are eligible to apply for means-tested NHS bursaries and a reduced, non means-tested student loan.

Teachers

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to enable newly qualified teachers in the UK to qualify immediately for qualified teacher status for the purposes of EC Directive 89/48 EEC; what discussions he has held with other EU education ministers on making teaching qualifications precisely reciprocal; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: EC Directive 89/48 EEC does not apply to the qualifications of teachers trained in the UK. The position in England is that teacher trainees are awarded qualified teacher status by the General Teaching Council for England as soon as the training provider has recommended that they have met all the standards required for this award.
	For England and Wales, we have implemented the Directive on the mutual recognition of qualifications under the European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 1991, by making the Secretary of State for Education and Skills the designated authority for the purpose of recognising the qualifications of teachers trained in the European Economic Area and Switzerland. As a matter of current practice, the status of any teacher certified as qualified by the member State in which they trained is recognised as equivalent to qualified teacher status in England and Wales. We have not met other EU Ministers to discuss teacher qualifications.

Truancy

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many pupils played truant in each year since 1997, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

David Miliband: holding answer 29 November 2004
	The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Undergraduate Chemistry Teaching

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if the Higher Education Funding Council will change the funding formulae to provide Exeter university with more money for undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(2)  what plans the Higher Education Funding Council has to change the funding formulae for financing undergraduate chemistry provision.

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  if the Higher Education Funding Council will change the funding formulae to provide Exeter university with more money for undergraduate chemistry provision;
	(2)  what plans the Higher Education Funding Council has to change the funding formulae for financing undergraduate chemistry provision.

Kim Howells: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is about to launch a fundamental review of the teaching funding method in advance of the introduction of variable tuition fees. The review will involve wide consultation with the sector. It will include consideration of the impact of the current funding method on different types of provision, such as undergraduate science, including chemistry.

Verwood Trinity School

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when his Department will pay the debt of 200,000 incurred in respect of works at Verwood Trinity Church of England Voluntary Aided First School.

David Miliband: The additional costs that currently have been met by Dorset county council were not planned within the capital programme for voluntary aided schools. Our current indications are that we cannot meet these unforeseen costs because we expect the available budget to be needed to meet existing agreed commitments, but we will review again the position towards the end of the financial year, when we will have a clearer picture of whether any funding may be available.

Veterinary Medicine

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much public funding has been granted to UK (a) veterinary colleges and (b) training places in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Kim Howells: holding answer 30 November 2004
	The actual amounts of recurrent funding paid by the HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) to the Royal Veterinary College from 199899 to 200405 are set out in the following table.
	
		
		
			 Academic year Total grant 
		
		
			 1998/99 7,902,287 
			 1999/2000 9,528,988 
			 2000/01 9,792,798 
			 2001/02 10,936,725 
			 2002/03 12,100,000 
			 2003/04 14,400,000 
			 2004/05 16,000,000 
		
	
	There are in addition three other higher education institutions in England offering courses in veterinary science. Bristol, Cambridge and Liverpool. Table B following shows the notional amounts of grant paid in total to these institutions.
	
		
		
			 Academic year Total notional grant 
		
		
			 1998/99 11,100,000 
			 1999/2000 12,800,000 
			 2000/01 14,300,000 
			 2001/02 15,300,000 
			 2002/03 15,000,000 
			 2003/04 17,000,000 
		
	
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 December 2004, Official Report, column 439W, for details of the estimated numbers of students on veterinary sciences courses.

Vocational Education and Training

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to expand vocational education and training for adults in Hendon; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Mark Haysom, the council's chief executive, will write to my hon. Friend with this information and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Library.

Working Mothers

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of first time mothers returned to work within (a) four, (b) six, (c) nine and (d) 12 months of the birth of their child in the last year for which figures are available.

Stephen Timms: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mrs. Brook, dated 9 December 2004
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the proportion of first-time mothers returning to work after the birth of their child. (201906)
	Whilst statistics for first-time mothers are not available, data are available for all mothers. This shows that:
	(a) 37 per cent. of mothers returned to work within four months
	(b) 55 per cent. of mothers returned to work within six months
	(c) 77 per cent. of mothers returned to work within nine months
	(d) 83 per cent. of mothers returned to work within twelve months.
	(e) A further 15 per cent. of mothers did not intend to return to work.
	The data source is the DTI/DWP Maternity and Paternity Rights Survey, conducted with mothers who gave birth in January 2001. This was before the extension of statutory ordinary maternity leave (from 18 to 26 weeks, paid), and introduction of statutory additional maternity leave (26 weeks, unpaid), in April 2003. The data are only available as percentages and not as population totals.
	As with all sample surveys, these estimates are subject to sampling variation.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Autism

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will designate autism as a distinct neurological condition to be addressed through a specific programme of care, separate from existing mental health and learning disability structures.

Angela Smith: Policy and services for children and adults with autism are currently being examined under the Review of Mental Health and Learning Disability (N.I.). The Review will recommend how future service delivery should be managed and funded.

Charter Boats

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants are available to enable owners of charter boats in Northern Ireland to (a) upgrade their vessels and (b) enhance their facilities for tourists.

Barry Gardiner: Government do not currently deliver any programmes aimed specifically at awarding grants to owners of charter boats. However owners of charter boats can avail of grants through a number of other Departmental programmes.
	For example, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board operates a Tourism Development Scheme (TDS) which can provide financial support for the development of key tourism amenities, projects and sectors that meet objectives for tourism growth based on priorities detailed in the Strategic Framework for Action 20042007. In particular TDS can consider financial assistance towards additional mooring facilities for boats. Any assistance offered is subject to the proposed project demonstrating its viability, additionality and sustainability as well as completing a satisfactory economic appraisal to assess the need for the project, its strategic context and fit, its benefits to tourism and economic impact.
	The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) also has a range of projects which have been or are currently being funded through DARD's Rural Development Programme (2001 to 2006). This aims to tackle disadvantage and is designed to produce flexible opportunities for all rural dwellers. Worth approximately 80 million, it brings together elements of several EU programmes and initiatives covering:
	Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity (PBSP)
	PEACE II Programme (the Natural Rural Resource Tourism InitiativeNRRTI)
	LEADER+
	INTERREG IIIA (Northern Ireland/Ireland)
	In addition support is specifically targeted on farmers and members of farming families within the PEACE II programme. Within this programme, the NRRTI programme has provided support for the enhancement of harbour facilities and the provision of water-based activities on Lough Erne. In addition, within PBSB, the Lough Neagh Strategic Fund (LNSF) supports economic, environmental and social projects which will assist with the development and management of the Lough Neagh Wetlands area. A limited fund was set aside specifically for strategic projects on the Lough. Projects wishing to develop water based recreation businesses may apply to the LNSF for support. The INTERREG programme also provides support for the development and enhancement of tourism and associated activities that form part of a cross border development strategy.
	As the Rural Development Programme has reached an advanced stage in terms of commitments, any potential applicants would need to ensure that the Programme's measures which are most relevant to their needs are still open for applications.

Civil Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to open internal Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Civil Service job trawls to Home Civil Service staff employed in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Internal Northern Ireland Office (NIO) trawls and service-wide trawls for posts in the NIO are currently open to Home Civil Service (HCS) staff within the NIO. This does not extend to other HCS staff in Northern Ireland. Interchange arrangements facilitate staff movement between the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) and HCS. These are usually for short-term placements. There are no plans to open NICS trawl competitions to HCS staff.

Civil Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the practice of not including Home civil service staff employed in Northern Ireland in internal Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland civil service job trawls has been equality-proofed.

Ian Pearson: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) complies with the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) arrangements in terms of equality proofing. Internal NIO trawls and Service-wide trawls for posts in the NIO are currently open to Home Civil Service (HCS) staff but only those within the NIO. The specific policy of not including all HCS staff in Northern Ireland in trawl competitions run by Northern Ireland Departments has not been equality proofed. However, in accordance with the requirements of its Equality Scheme, the Department of Finance and Personnel has carried out an Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) on the recruitment and promotion policies employed by the NICS. The public consultation period for the EQIA began on the 24 November 2004 and will end on 1 March 2005.

Consumerline

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many inquiries Consumerline has dealt with since its inception; and what the average cost has been per enquiry.

Barry Gardiner: From its commencement on 3 November 2003 until 31 October 2004 Consumerline has handled 22,536 enquiries at an average cost of 10.90 per inquiry.

Consumerline

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) revenue and (b) capital costs of Consumerline were to 31 October.

Barry Gardiner: Consumerline costs for the period 1 April 2003 to 31 October 2004 were as follows:
	
		
			   
		
		
			 (a) Revenue 383,600 
			 (b) Capital 471,900

Disabled Access

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on recent actions to improve access for those with disabilities at GP surgeries and health trust facilities in the Province.

Angela Smith: Health and Social Services boards and trusts have been taking a range of actions to meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). These include access audits of premises, identifying essential remedial work and factoring this into planned maintenance schedules. Where GPs own the premises in which they run surgeries it will be for them to ensure that, as service providers, they meet their obligations under the DDA.
	The Department has provided an additional 3.5 million in 200304 and a further 5 million in 200405 to address DDA remedial work. It has also recently appointed Disability Action to carry out a review of action taken to date by Health and Social Services boards, trusts and agencies to comply with the access provisions of the DDA. A report of the review is expected in May 2005.

EU Environmental Directives

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the infraction proceedings pending against the Government arising from Northern Ireland's failure to comply with EU environmental directives.

Angela Smith: The following list sets out the EU directives that are subject to Article 226 Reasoned Opinion proceedings or beyond. Some of the cases arise from challenges to the transposing legislation while others relate to specific implementation.
	
		
			 Directive number Directive title 
		
		
			 1975/439/EC Waste Oils 
			 1975/442/EC Waste Framework 
			 1976/160/EC Bathing Water 
			 1978/659/EC Quality of Fresh Water to Support Fish 
			 1979/923/EC Shellfish Waters 
			 1991/271/EC Urban Waste Water Treatment (two cases) 
			 1991/676/EC Nitrates from Agricultural Sources 
			 1991/689/EC Hazardous Waste 
			 1997/11/EC Environmental Impact Assessment 
			 1998/83/EC Drinking Water Quality 
			 2000/53/EC End of Life Vehicles

Executive Children's Fund

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether funding for the Executive Children's Fund is located within the Draft Priorities and Budget 200508; and what funding is available in the Draft Priorities and Budget for the implementation of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister's Children and Young People's Strategy.

Ian Pearson: The Draft Priorities and Budget 200508 includes proposed allocations for the Children's Fund of 9.5 million and 5.4 million in 200506 and 200607 respectively. The Draft Children and Young People's Strategy was launched for consultation on 23 November with views sought from all interested parties by 28 February 2005. It is only when that consultation process has been completed, that Ministers will be in a position to make informed decisions about any future funding implications.

Executive Children's Fund

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding will be available for children's services in the Draft Priorities and Budget 200508; what the provision was in the last round of funding; and what assessment he has made of the impact the Draft Priorities and Budget 200508 will have on existing services and new developments for children, young people and families in need in Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Children's services cover a wide and varied range of activities undertaken across a number of Departments and in the circumstances it is not possible to clearly separate all funding on services for children in the budget processes.
	The proposed spending plans detailed in the Draft Priorities and Budget 200508 would allow Departments to maintain and develop a wide range of public services which would impact on the community as a whole including children, young people and families in need in Northern Ireland. The draft Public Service Agreements (PSAs), contained in the document, set out the main departmental objectives, proposed budgets for years 200508, planned citizen outcomes, key service channels and targets that Departments are working to deliver. The PSAs will continue to be developed further and final versions will be set out in the Revised Priorities and Budget 200508 document which is due for publication later this month.

Exports

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the level of exports, beyond the UK, from Northern Ireland was, expressed as a percentage of the regional gross domestic product in the last year for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: Regional Estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) have been superseded by Gross Value Added (GVA) following the extension of the European System of Accounts 1995 (ESA95) to the Regional Accounts and which produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The most recent regional GVA information available is for the year 2002.
	HM Customs and Excise are responsible for the collation of exports figures for the UK and the regions and while the estimate most comparable to the GVA figure would be exports expressed on a balance of payments basis, this is not available at a regional level. Therefore the value used represents exports for Northern Ireland during 2002, based on the total value of goods at the UK border.
	As the GVA and exports estimates are on a different basis, a percentage has not been calculated, the relevant information is shown separately as follows.
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 Value of Exports from Northern Ireland in 2002 343 
			 Northern Ireland GVA in 2002 20,497 
		
	
	Source:
	National Accounts Co-ordination Division, ONS and HM Customs and Excise, Statistics and Analysis of Trade Unit.

Fuel Poverty

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the fuel poverty strategy for Northern Ireland will be issued; and what the proposed time scale is for the implementation of its recommendations.

John Spellar: The Government's fuel poverty strategy Ending Fuel Poverty: A Strategy for Northern Ireland' was launched on 23 November. The strategy sets out a target of eradicating fuel poverty in Northern Ireland in all vulnerable households and the social rented sector by 2010 and in non-vulnerable households by 2016.

General Practitioners

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce an audiology direct access system through which general practitioners in the Province could refer patients directly to audiologists.

Angela Smith: The current referral path for most audiology patients in Northern Ireland is from their General Practitioner to an ENT Consultant and on to an audiologist, if required. However it is for Boards and Trusts to provide local services in the way that best meets the needs of their patients and some have opted for a direct access system, such as Newry and Mourne Trust. A number of others are piloting direct access with a limited number of general practitioners in order to assess demand and resource implications before extending the scheme.

Hospital Audiology Departments

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes have been made to audiology department facilities at hospitals across the Province in the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: In the past 12 months all trusts with audiology departments have moved to digital systems and computerisation, for the fitting of digital hearing aids, in line with a Province-wide modernisation programme. In addition, they are in the process of installing a computer-based management information system (Practice Navigator), which will enable audiology departments across Northern Ireland to share information. Individual trusts have made a range of other improvements in respect of staffing, equipment and accommodation.

Irish Medium Schools

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Irish medium schools there are in Northern Ireland; what their average cost is in 200405; and what percentage their pupils make up of the total school population, broken down by Northern Ireland Education Board area.

Barry Gardiner: There are 18 Irish medium schools in Northern Ireland entitled to receive funding under the Local Management of Schools arrangements. Two of these have only recently received approval and the relevant funding authorities are currently assessing the level of resources to which these schools are entitled. The following table sets out the average initial delegated budget allocations for 200405 and the percentage number of pupils in each Education and Library Board area for the 16 Irish medium schools funded for the complete financial year.
	
		
			 Board area Number of schools Average initial delegated budget (Irish medium schools) () Per capita (Irish medium schools) () Percentage of overall pupils 
		
		
			 BELB 8 425,909 2,478 2.4 
			 NEELB 1 95,614 2,732 0.1 
			 SEELB 2 247,738 2,636 0.3 
			 SELB 2 184,516 2,292 0.2 
			 WELB 3 286,577 2,245 0.7 
			 Overall 16 326,695 2,440 0.7 
		
	
	The variation between Boards is caused by the small number of schools involved, their relative sizes in terms of pupil numbers, differing levels of social deprivation and variations in the individual LMS schemes operated by each of the Education and Library Boards.

Irish Medium Schools

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average (a) pupil/teacher ratio and (b) cost per pupil attending (i) Irish medium schools, (ii) maintained schools, (iii) controlled schools and (iv) integrated schools was in each Northern Ireland Education Board area at the latest date for which figures are available.

Barry Gardiner: The following table sets out the information requested. The cost per pupil is based on data contained in the Local Management of Schools outturn statements published by the funding authorities for the financial year 200304.
	
		
			 Board Sector Average pupil/teacher ratio() Average cost per pupil () 
		
		
			 BELB Irish medium 15.0 2,971 
			  Maintained 16.0 3,252 
			  Controlled 16.6 3,661 
			  Integrated 16.4 3,508 
			 
			 NEELB Irish medium 11.7 3,883 
			  Maintained 17.5 3,131 
			  Controlled 18.0 2,949 
			  Integrated 15.7 3,537 
			 
			 SEELB Irish medium 17.8 2,963 
			  Maintained 17.0 3,238 
			  Controlled 17.9 3,108 
			  Integrated 15.6 3,769 
			 
			 SELB Irish medium 15.7 3,033 
			  Maintained 18.0 2,928 
			  Controlled 17.2 3,099 
			  Integrated 16.8 3,368 
			 
			 WELB Irish medium 18.1 2,654 
			  Maintained 17.6 3,004 
			  Controlled 17.3 3,217 
			  Integrated 16.0 3,518

Irish Medium Schools

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of Northern Ireland's population are Irish speakers, broken down by Northern Ireland Education Board area.

Ian Pearson: The 2001 Census of Population showed that 10.35 per cent. of persons aged three and over had some knowledge of Irish. The equivalent figures at Education and Library Board level are provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Education and Library Board Percentage of persons aged three and over who have some knowledge of Irish 
		
		
			 Belfast 13.57 
			 North Eastern 6.83 
			 South Eastern 5.62 
			 Southern 14.70 
			 Western 13.38

Passive Smoking

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the Code of Practice on Passive Smoking at Work to be published.

Barry Gardiner: The Government recently published a White Paper, Choosing health: making healthier choices easier that contains a number of proposals for dealing with passive smoking in the workplace in England. Publication of a Code of Practice on Passive Smoking at Work in Northern Ireland is currently on hold while a fresh look is taken at the way forward in the light of the White Paper proposals and also developments elsewhere, including Scotland and Wales.

Primary Schools (Psychology Support)

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the budget for psychology support to primary schools in North Belfast is in 200405; how many psychology referrals there have been to each primary school in each of the last five years; and what the constituent parts of the common funding formula used by the Belfast Education and Library Board to allocate these psychology referrals to individual schools are.

Barry Gardiner: The BELB is currently reviewing all budgets and until this review is complete a precise figure for the educational psychology service budget for 200405 is not available. However, the cost of providing an educational psychology service to all children in BELB in 200304 is estimated to have been 1,191,122. It is not possible to give an exact figure for the proportion of these costs which were incurred in primary schools in North Belfast only, but we know that 17 per cent. of all assessments completed by the psychology service took place in North Belfast primary schools.
	Calculating the number of referrals to the educational psychology service from each primary school in the area over the past five years is not possible in the time available. I have, however, provided as follows the global figures for referrals from North Belfast primary schools in the BELB area.
	
		
			  Global figure 
		
		
			 19992000 396 
			 200001 462 
			 200102 473 
			 200203 467 
			 200304 501 
		
	
	There is no specific factor either within the existing Belfast Education and Library Board's Local Management of School's funding formula or within the proposed common funding formula to allocate psychology referrals to individual schools. The costs of the school psychology service are met centrally by the Belfast Education and Library Board and, therefore, are not charged to the delegated budgets of individual schools.
	The North-Eastern Education and Library Board, into which five wards in the North Belfast area fall, was not able to respond in the time scale available. I will write to you again as soon as this information is available together with the number of referrals from each primary school in the Belfast Board area.

Sexual Health Clinics

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to introduce combined sexual health clinics in the Province that incorporate genito-urinary medicine and family planning services in a joint facility.

Angela Smith: This issue will be addressed as part of the implementation of the new Sexual Health Promotion Strategy which will be launched in the spring next year.

Wheel-clamping

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to review the law relating to private operations of wheel-clamping in Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: Wheel-clamping for Vehicle Excise Duty evasion is undertaken by a private contractor under the direct authorisation of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland, operating as part of a UK-wide contract. This is the only wheel-clamping carried out on public roads in NI.
	There are no plans to review the law.